Sailor Ceres
by persian85033
Summary: It will take place on the Moon, and the girls will be finding and fighting interesting things in their explorations and adventures around the Moon Palace, as well as visiting the other planets. They'll find interesting challenges on their tour of the inner planets. Plus, Ceres will be facing a few other challenges the others won't.
1. Chapter 1

"You promise to be a very handsome young lady indeed."said the Empress to Ceres, as Ceres spread her pink damask skirts. "Just like your mother and grandmother."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."said Ceres.

She kept trying to keep in mind not to stare, and tried to keep her eyes on the floor, but they kept looking up at the Empress. The Empress's presence chamber glowed with diamonds, diamond and marble statues, even her throne seemed to be made of diamond and silver.

Which it was, Ceres reminded herself. The first thought that struck her was that sadness, or resignation about the Empress.

"I am very honored to be serving Your Majesty, Her Imperial Highness, the Crown Princess, and Her Imperial Highness, Small Lady."

The Empress nodded.

"I have heard you do very well in your studies. Your tutors speak well of you."

"Oh, yes!"

Behind her back, Ceres crossed her fingers.

"I will do my best to serve Your Imperial Majesty."

She was about to list all the subjects and recite her lessons, but stopped herself.

"I am sure my granddaughter will love you, and that you, she and the rest of the quartet will get along."

Luna, who sat at the Empress's right, handed the Empress something, which she them gave to Ceres. Ceres curtseyed before receiving it.

"A reanimation."said the Empress.

A reanimation! Ceres knew that each quartet received a gift from the empress, but a reanimation! Normally it would be jewels, fabrics or something.

"Only one, however."the Empress told her, stressing on the one. "Use it wisely."

On either side of the Empress, but a step below the imperial dais sat the Crown Prince and Princess, along with her parents and the other senshi and shittenou, the Crown Prince and Princess sitting at the Empress's right, and Small Lady at her left. The four asteroidal duchess stood before the imperial dais. One by one they approached first the royal dais, and then the imperial dais and received their transformation devices.

* * *

"It's a little awkward."said Luna. "However, you know that as Small Lady's guardians, the rooms for the asteroid senshi should be in the same ward as hers. They connect to Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion's rooms, them being Crown Princess and Crown Prince. So Small Lady will stay in the Crown Principal rooms, while her parents will move to the Palace of Serenity in her mother's duchy of Serenity. The Empress will stay in the Imperial rooms. Connected to those are the planetary senshi, but they will leave with the Crown Prince and Princess."

"You mean Mama and Papa will be leaving?"asked Pallas.

Luna looked up at her.

"Yes. Their place is with the Selenovna and her husband. The planetary senshi would usually be and Empress's guardians, but since, um, they are the Crown Princess's. The Empress's, as you know, have passed. Everyone loves Empress Serenity, and wish her a long life, but it's unprecedented that an Empress have two heiresses at the same time, so we're kind of improvising."Luna told her.

Ceres felt just as upset as Pallas sounded. She had really wanted her parents here. They had spent time away, at their duties at Magellan while she was apprenticed at Ceres, but this felt different.

"We can always view."Vesta pointed out.

"Yes."agreed Ceres. "And the palace of Serenity isn't too far. It's only a few hours away from here."

"Small Lady!"Ceres exclaimed.

"Shinju! Ceres!"exclaimed Small Lady, as they ran and hugged.

"Wow! It feels so different from viewing!"

Small Lady and Ceres had viewed seKaylal times, but never actually met. The others hadn't met or viewed Small Lady at all.

"You're right!"Small Lady sniffed. "You wear so much cinnamon! While viewing I never noticed that."

"I'm sorry, Your Highness! I just…"

"It's kind of nice! You get to wear scents! Just like the grown ups!"Small Lady sounded envious.

"It's just something we do back home. We wear a lot of scent. You see, it's one way viewing isn't the same as seeing. You couldn't smell the scent from someone's image like you can when you see them, just like you couldn't hug them."

"Here only grown ups do wear scents."

Small Lady looked up at the others.

"Do you?"she asked at them.

"No, Your Highness."Juno answered. "But my mama always uses rose water."

Vesta and Pallas, who was hiding behind Vesta shook their heads.

"You don't have to hide."Small Lady told Pallas.

"You forgot to curtsey."Vesta told Pallas as she stepped forward.

"Oh! Oops."

Pallas stepped forward and curtseyed.

"That's all right. I forgot, too."Small Lady bit her lip. "I shouldn't. Things are always _very_ formal in Grandmama's court. Mama and Papa not so, but Grandmama sets ceremony very highly. And she makes a ceremony of everything."

"As it should be, Your _Imperial_ Highness."

Ceres never missed a single gesture or voice tone in people. She certainly noticed how the girl had stressed the 'imperial', and had looked at her. Obviously it was meant towards her. She didn't know who this other girl was, but she could tell they were not going to get along. Small Lady just nodded at what she said, although it seemed she didn't take any heed.

"Is that why one of the Princess of Mars's ladies used a hologram? So you can tell which one is just the image and which one is the real person? One of them you can hug and smell and one just an image?"Small Lady asked Vesta, after Vesta also curtsied as she'd told everyone else to do.

"You must mean Phobos and Deimos."she was used to those types of questions about them. "No, one of them wasn't a hologram. They both do look exactly alike. One of them wears her hair parted on the right side and the other on the left side. That's the way to tell them apart. They are two my mother's Vestal virgins from when she was Duchess of Vesta. All the others are married now, except for Phobos, so they still serve her."

"Vestal virgins?"asked Small Lady.

"A Duchess of Vesta has six Vestal Virgins. They're something like maids of honor. They're sworn to serve for at least thirty years, and remain unmarried. While they do they live by the strictest moral behavior. They're models for moral behavior."Vesta explained. "After their thirty years are up they are free to marry, and are completely free from any kind of male dominance. Not all six came with me. At least two must stay at the Palace of Vesta. The Fire of Vesta can never be allowed to go out. Even when there isn't a duchess."

"They're just sworn to remain unmarried, or take a vow of celibacy? And if they break the vow?"asked Ceres.

"If any break their vows, they're buried alive outside the walls of the Palace of Vesta. Those who disgraced them are beheaded, at least."Vesta stated. "Their remains are not allowed to rest near the palace, though, where the disgraced virgins are buried."

"That's barbarious!"exclaimed Pallas.

"And I've heard the Mercurians are strict!"said Small Lady.

"Deimos is married, so she can't serve me, Phobos isn't,"she turned to Ceres. "But Phobos and Deimos are inseparable, otherwise Phobos said she would serve another thirty years for me. Only unmarried ladies have the privilege to serve a Duchess of Vesta. And I will also not marry until I become Princess of Mars, or if I reach a certain age, but there has never been a Duke of Vesta."

"Duchesses of Juno always keep an attendant whose only duty is to carry messages for her, but she would never be buried alive or beheaded!"said Juno, as she looked over Vesta's shoulder to see the ladies behind her.

"Is that why they're always with you?"asked Ceres. "So you're never alone…"

Four ladies always followed Vesta, that eventually the other girls stopped even noticing their presence. They assumed they were just part of Vesta's retinue, just like everyone else. Only now did Ceres realize they dressed a little different from the others among Vesta's ladies.

"Send them away!"Small Lady told her. "Or wait, if you do, they won't be…"she didn't dare finish her sentence.

"As long as they don't do something immoral. Don't worry, Imperial Highness."Vesta assured Small Lady. "But is it all right if at least one of them stays with me always? It would just be weird if they weren't, but I can send them away if Your Imperial Highness prefers."

"I respect the customs of other planets. You can keep them with you. Better that way, too. I don't want anything to happen to them while they're here!"Small Lady looked upset.

From now on, whenever she served at the Lunarian court, Ceres would take over the duties of the mistress of Small Lady's household. One of the older girls stepped up from the group behind Small Lady.

"This is Kayla."said Small Lady, as the older girl stepped up. "She is of the Lunarian nobility. A very old family. Her family has served my family for generations. Her mother is mistress of Mama's household. Kayla has served me, but now since I'm going to have my own quartet, you will be my mistress of the household!"Small Lady said to Ceres, as Kayla held her keys to Ceres.

She seemed more than reluctant to let them go. Ceres could tell that she did not like this one bit, and gave the older girl a cold smile. It wasn't like Ceres liked her either.

"Will she remain in Your Imperial Highness's household?"she asked Small Lady. "Or will she leave, perhaps to serve in the Crown Princess's household, perhaps?"

"Oh, no. She stays here. As one of my attendants. Kayla's served me a long time."

Kayla seemed turned her face away, and frowning.

 _The vestal virgins do serve thirty years. At first I thought to reducing it to six, since the girls are not grown up, but if Small Lady is 900, I thought thirty years was an okay number after all._


	2. Chapter 2

"Was she new?"Juno asked Ceres later.

"No, I don't think so."answered Ceres, who knew perfectly well who she meant. "She's too young."she told the others.

"Your Imperial Highness, who was the girl who handed Shinju, I mean, Her Grace of Ceres the keys?"Juno asked aloud.

"You must mean Kayla. My lady governess was Mama's old nurse."Small Lady told them. "Kayla is her daughter."

"Like the equivalent of the daughter of one of the Martian holographic virgins serving Kagutsuchi?"asked Ceres.

"Vestal virgins, and Phobos and Deimos are not holograms. It's hard to believe, but they really are two separate people who look exactly the same. And neither of them was my governess, or their daughters. Phobos and Deimos have no daughters."Vesta told them.

"Married with no daughters. Yet."said Ceres.

"I'm surprised the Venusian population doesn't number in the trillions."Vesta commented back. "And only Deimos is married."

"The Venusians don't number in the trillions because it was Selene who had the fifty daughters, not Aphrodite."said Small Lady. "And of the fifty girls, what a tragedy!"

Ceres almost dropped the tea she was serving Small Lady, and pass around the sugared almonds, one of Small Lady's favorites. Tragedy it was, and not one of her favorite stories, whether told as part of a history lesson, or as a tale. She was glad Pallas spoke.

"What do you like, Your Imperial Highness? Do you like to read or play chess?"asked Pallas timidly.

"No!"the other three.

"I mean, it's something I really wouldn't recommend."corrected Vesta hastily.

"I like to paint and sculpt. I don't even know how to play chess, though."Small Lady told them.

"And it's something you don't want to learn!"Juno told her.

"You were supposed to hire Reijena as your baker, remember!"Ceres reminded her, hoping to make her forget all about playing chess.

"Hire!"Juno exclaimed indignantly. "I like to cook, but I'm not someone to hire in anyone's kitchen!"

"I mean to sample her baking versus that of your own bakers! And mine, remember! She claims to be the best baker in the entire galaxy! But I insist that mine are better."

Behind Small Lady's back, Juno nodded, thanking Ceres silently, not so much because she wished to impress Small Lady, but because no one wanted to play chess.

"I remember! A contest! That will be fun!"she turned to Pallas. "You'll have to teach me to play chess, though. One never knows, I suppose. It might be fun, but I only have one chessboard. The one you gave me."she told Pallas. "I'd like to learn."

"You'll regret it, Your Imperial Highness!"said Ceres in her own usual blunt way. "Unless you have an entire you week. Half to learn, and half to play!"

Ceres, Vesta and Juno groaned as Small Lady asked someone to get the chessboard Pallas had given her.

"At least it's only one board, so it can only be one match."Ceres whispered to Vesta.

"Unless they decide to do a competition.

Ceres and Juno both crossed their fingers that it wouldn't be the case.

"Let's hope the empress or no one around here has more."

* * *

Ceres was right in that it could only be one match. Which was between Pallas and Small Lady. She could tell Small Lady looked more confused than entertained, and a little bored as it went on. She herself ended up playing draw poker with Kayla. She could tell Kayla was not happy playing with her. She sensed the animosity coming from the older girl.

"You have served Small Lady for a long time?"Ceres asked her.

Among her lessons was to her to initiate a conversation and make others feel at ease, and people usually liked to talk about themselves. And it would be good to get to know the other girls.

"Longer than certain people have."

Certain people?Ceres noticed the scorn in her voice.

"Really?"she asked. "Since Small Lady was a toddler, you mean?"

"No, but I have served longer than some. The Empress chose me for my family. She only allows those of the oldest families to serve at her court. My family has served the Lunarian _imperial_ family for generations. My mother waits on the Selenovna."

It seemed that at the Lunarian court lineage was held in very high regard. That was important anywhere. She could almost recite the genealogy of everyone at the Cerian court. Of course, many positions people held by right, given their family backgrounds, such as Launcekrona. She had been Ceres's nurse, not only because she was one of her mother's closest friends, but also because it was her right to do so, as her family had served as nurses and governesses to Duchesses of Ceres for generations, just as Princesses of Venus had been guardians and leaders of Sailor quartets for generations. This Kayla must belong to such a family. She seemed to have nothing in common with Launcekrona, however. This Kayla took it much more seriously than she did, especially in the tone in which she spoke to Ceres. Was it because she felt that Ceres was taking her place in Small Lady's household? Or something else?

"I see. It makes sense that Her Imperial Majesty prefers those of the best lineage. It is an honor serve the Lunarian imperial family. Just like yourself?"

She obviously gave herself airs, but while Kayla may come from the noblest family in the galaxy, but Ceres was royalty. Kayla couldn't give herself airs over her, as Ceres was sure she did towards other people. That's probably why she was also so angry. Kayla probably hated having to bow before anyone other than Small Lady. She looked around the room. Not knowing them, she couldn't tell, but given from her own short acquaintance with her, she had a feeling that Kayla had few friends among the other girls.

Ceres looked over her cards. Kayla's eyes flashed over her own cards. Small Lady would see it as unfortunately that the leader of her quartet and one of her favorites would not get along, which she probably was. If it wasn't for the fact that it would seem so childish, Ceres would have lowered her cards and stuck her tongue out of the other girl. Instead she innocently turned her eyes back to her own cards.

"Your Royal Grace is right."Kayla said sweetly. "Her Imperial Majesty holds lineage as very important. And it includes marrying into one's own station. I wonder what she would think of those who marry _below_ them."

"Below them? What in the galaxy do you mean? Marrying under one's station?"

"Oh, nothing. It's simply, you know, sometimes people are just…some don't know their place or have little sense of self, self respect, dignity. Things like that. I myself have always thought that disgraceful. 'Marrying trash'as I've heard it described! Royalty should only marry royalty, not, er, _lower_ nobility. There's the nobility, and the nobility, as Your _Grace_ knows."

Ceres put her cards on the table and stood up. She was about to turn to the door, when she remembered Small Lady was there, and everyone was staring at her. She couldn't leave before Small Lady. That would be bad manners. Ceres looked up at Kayla, and almost took her transformation pen from the side of her girdle, but thought better of it. Could plead a headache? No, that would be just what Kayla would want.

It was clear Kayla had little respect for her, she seethed. She hadn't liked Kayla from the start, either. And had no respect for either. Because her father wasn't royalty? And no one even implied that her mother had married below her in presence! She was just as proud to be the Lady of the Evening Star as she was Duchess of Ceres. And Kunzite certainly ranked much higher than this Kayla or her parents. Or any of her relatives for that matter! Everyone in the room looked from one to the other, waiting to see what they would do. It took all her self control not to claw her eyes out, which she was about to if it hadn't been for Small Lady.

"Shinju!"exclaimed Small Lady. "Don't tell me Kayla won?! She's not a very good loser, and does she ever lose often!"

Obviously, she interpreted Ceres's anger at having lost at cards. Gritting her teeth, she sat back down.

"We don't know who won or lost. It may just have been Kayla. I scattered all the cards when I stood up so suddenly! And we're not betting."

How she wanted to take her fan or the cards or something and throw it in her face.

"You look so upset, Shinju."

"Oh, no, no, Your Highness. Just a little tired. It's been a long day."

Small Lady nodded.

"I know what you mean. I was thinking of retiring myself."

Ceres, Juno, Vesta, and Pallas stood up and followed Small Lady. Standing up, Ceres took her fan from where it hung from her girdle and flashed it at Kayla. Not knowing Venusian fan language, she obviously didn't know what message Ceres was sending her in the way she held and moved her fan. The Venusian girls laughed or giggled.


	3. Chapter 3

It didn't take long for everyone to notice the dislike between Ceres and Kayla, and the girls began to take sides. The Venusians sided with Ceres, of course. Given her comment, the rest of quartet did as well. Half of Ceres's retinue was Terran, and she insisted that they refer to her as the Lady of the Evening Star and speak Terran. The rest of the quartet also spoke in Terran, as well as Small Lady. Hardly anyone else liked Kayla, so mostly everyone sided with Ceres. Only a few close friends and relations sided with Kayla.

"She insulted the Crown Prince as well!"said Diana. "And Small Lady herself! If the Empress, Small Lady, or the Crown Princess and Prince only knew!"

"Can't you just dismiss her?"Vesta asked Ceres.

"This isn't your court, so you can't dismiss anyone."Pallas reminded them.

"Unfortunately, Your Grace,"said Diana.

She didn't like Kayla, either.

"I can't, but I can make it so that she will be dismissed, and she _will_ be, make no mistake about it."Ceres told them.

"We will tell Small Lady."said Pallas, who probably would of if it wasn't for the fact that Ceres specifically forbade it.

"No! This is my problem. I will not trouble Small Lady with something like this. I will solve it. I may not be able to dismiss her myself, but I can make it so that she will fall out of favor, for one. Or she might just prefer to leave court herself."

"I hope so."said Diana. "It would make so many people very happy."

Right now, Small Lady was right now with the Empress, which she was every morning, when the Empress was having her toilette done and her hair dressed, which was the only leisure time the Empress had. Every morning, one of the Empress's ladies came to take her to her grandmother. Sometimes she would breakfast with her, but most of the time she would do so with her parents, the Crown Princess and Prince, with who she spent a good majority of her time.

* * *

Ceres remembered how her parents preferred to attempt to solve something themselves to avoid the Empress of the Crown Prince and Princess any upsetting. She saw this as her first challenge. Kayla was in very high favor with Small Lady, and Ceres could certainly see why. Kayla could be very amusing when she wanted to, which she certainly was to Small Lady, and since her mother, and a cousin of hers, served the Crown Princess, she always had news of the Crown Princess and Prince, and their court, especially that of the Crown Princess. Small Lady had never been even in a separate palace, castle, or any residence without her parents before, so she especially liked to hear about them.

"It makes me sad that Mama and Papa aren't here."she looked around. "I would be only a little further, in this same ward. It would just be a little walk from here to there, and I could see them everyday. Now they're all the way in the Duchy of Serenity."

"The Empress is still here."Ceres reminded her. "And she is very fond of Your Imperial Highness."

"That's true."Small Lady brightened. "The Princess of Venus and Lord Kunzite always somewhere different."she turned to Ceres. "And the Princess of Mercury, Lord Zoicite, the Princess of Mars, the Princess of Jupiter and Lord Kunzite."she turned to the others.

"Mama and Papa are always busy."Ceres told her. "And I have my own duchy to govern."

The others nodded.

"Us, too. I have my own messenger, so we like to send messages back and forth."said Pallas. "We like to send lots of messages on Mercury."

"We try to view as often."said Vesta. "Or we speak out of the fire."

"We view often, too. Sometimes maybe once or twice every few weeks."said Juno.

"Weeks!"exclaimed Small Lady.

"My parents also come to my duchy. They like to come at least once a month, if they can, but they can't always. Kayla, make sure the grooms have the horses saddled, that we're going riding today! That should have been done at least half an hour ago!"exclaimed Ceres.

She usually didn't speak harshly to people, but she would do so as often as she could do so to Kayla. At the same time, Pallas nodded, Juno raised an eyebrow, and Vesta frowned in her direction. All of them seemed to be saying 'now!'. Besides, it seemed that most of the other girls seemed to like seeing her do so. And it served her right, thought Ceres.

"Make sure to take the easels, canvases, paints, and everything, that there's a scene Her Imperial Highness wishes to paint. Oh, and make sure you take the inksticks, as well! And mix some."

"But very little. I'm not sure I'll use any today."said Small Lady. "But someone else might. Mix a bit of the black, at least."

Ceres knew that there was absolutely no chance that the inks would be used. She herself didn't like to mix the inks. It always got one's hands stained, and it was sometimes hard to get off. Besides, sometimes the inksticks had such pretty shapes and pictures on them. At Small Lady's court, since she was so fond of all arts, including calligraphy, there was always someone who was on what everyone called 'ink duty'. They would be assigned to grinding and mixing the sticks for Small Lady. Today, however, Small Lady would be using acrylics. The other girls chatted as they followed Small Lady and the quartet out of the room.

I should have replaced the inksticks with some from the set the Crown Princess and Prince gave Small Lady for her last birthday with the flowers on them, thought Ceres. She could only imagine the look on horror on Kayla's face when she realized she had ground up even a corner off Small Lady's special inksticks! She immediately not only be dismissed, but disgraced as well! She chided herself, however. Small Lady would be so upset. How could she think of doing such a thing to her mistress?

* * *

Small Lady pointed out everything as they passed by.

"The gardens here are most beautiful in the galaxy!"she said, proudly.

"I've been told that there are also some lovely ones on Mau."said Diana.

"I'll have to disagree with you, Small Lady."said Juno. "The most beautiful ones are on Jupiter, at Magellan and Juno. At Magellan, there is a giant oak tree, so great that it is the oldest and giantest in the galaxy. Growing all over it are pink roses. It's not only surrounded by fields of roses, but the roses climb over it!"

"I'd love to paint that some day!"

"Maybe you might even outdo the painters who already have! Many painters have painted it. None of them have managed to capture its real essence. Lots of Princesses of Jupiter have been painted with it. It's at Io Castle, so I've never seen it myself."Juno confessed. "But I've seen lots of paintings. Mama and Papa have been painted next to it."

"I'm sure it's been painted by some of the greatest masters. I will never be able to outdo them."said Small Lady.

"Oaks."Vesta said to Ceres. "That's certainly something for you."

"What do I have to do with oaks?"Ceres asked.

Vesta rolled her eyes.

"Why what else? Acorns. Like in your emblem. Acorns come from oaks. Plus, oats. Oaks, oats. Like the oats at Ceres."

"Oh!"she suddenly comprehended. "Yes!"

"I could paint you under the tree when we go to Jupiter!"said Small Lady. "You could hold a basket full of acorns. And you could wear acorn earrings, a necklace made of acorns with a large acorn pendant!"

"I already have acorn earrings and pendants, Small Lady. Brooches, and rings, too."Ceres told her.

"Of oak?"

Ceres shook her head.

"No. Of gold and pearls."

"The ones for my painting should be oak. When you pose for me."

They continued, and finally came to the spot which Small Lady was working to paint a picture of. Ceres got out Small Lady's canvas, brushes, stand and set them up for her. She got out Diana's daybed as well, for her naps while Small Lady painted. Pallas arranged her paints. Only that morning had she made sure that the empty tubes had been replaced by new ones and that they were in order.

As everyone else got their things out, Kayla got out an apron, put it on, and began to grind the sticks and against the inkstone.

"Don't mix too much. You don't want to waste those inks! They're the best in the galaxy."Diana said to Kayla.

* * *

"My dress!"exclaimed Small Lady. "And today when we're supping with Grandmama!"

Ceres, Diana, and the other girls ran to her. To her horror, Ceres saw that the fine embroidery on it some parts of the thread had been cut out. There were tears on the sleeves, too. Some of them were hardly noticeably, but it gave a terrible impression on her, as she was in charge of Small Lady's toilette. This was just terrible! What would the Empress say? What would Mama and Papa say when they saw how careless she'd been.

"Oh, Shinju, what happened to my dress?!"Small Lady was so upset.

"I saw it only just a few hours ago! I'm so sorry, Your Imperial Highness! I will immediately have someone come and repair it! The embroidery will be taken out and redone, and the tears, those will also be repaired at once!"

"I will do the embroidery."said Pallas.

There wasn't another girl who could embroider as well as she could. She indicated that the other Mercurians would, too.

"There's no time,"Diana said.

"Maybe Your Imperial Highness could wear another dress."suggested Kayla. "You could never show up like that."

Then she realized. Of course, what else could have happened to the dress! She must have altered the dress to make her look bad. Well, she'd deal with Kayla later. Ceres thought quickly. She remembered her finest damask dress. It was one of her favorites. She'd yet to wear it, was going to wear it today.

"Your Imperial Highness can wear one of my dresses! I even have a brooch, earrings and choker which will match it perfectly! It's perfect Pallanian damask."

She gestured towards Vesta to fetch it.


	4. Chapter 4

"You were the one who ruined Small Lady's dress, weren't you?"Ceres demanded Kayla the next day. "You hateful, you spiteful, you! You knew we were going to dine with the Empress, and you knew that it would make me look bad if anything went wrong! And at the last minute, we would have been late! The Empress was expecting her to wear the dress she gave her!"

"And she went wearing your dress, _Your Grace_."Kayla answered back.

Ceres narrowed her eyes. She had had Kayla summoned to her boudoir, and had not invited her to sit or offer any refreshment. Let her stand, thought Ceres. And she hoped that Kayla had worn her most uncomfortable shoes. She must find a way to see to that, so Kayla would have no choice but to wear only the most uncomfortable shoes. She held pointedly put out her hand for Kayla to kiss. It pleased to see how angry it made Kayla to do so, but she had no choice. Just as she had no choice but to stand unless Ceres said she could.

"I will soon have a new dress! A court dress! Not one, either, but a dozen if I wish! And of the finest materials, and latest fashion! And I will wear the sash and heart of the Order of Aphrodite on it! Something you won't. _And you_ will never be accepted into any order! Not while I'm alive!"

"You won't have any choice if the Empress wishes it!"Kayla yelled back.

"I will refuse to give you the star or the sash! They will have to bring me in kicking and screaming and will have to take my arm and force my fist around it! But I will never give it to you! Besides, hasn't the _noble_ Lady Kayla been endowed with a noble or martial order yet? This very afternoon, someone will go through your wardrobe and take out any dresses with any material resembling the shade of pink Small Lady wears! You are forbidden from wearing her color! You are forbidden from anything resembling it, even a handkerchief. Any stones or styles she wears, as well!"

* * *

Ceres sat before the viewer. From it, she viewed Minako and Kunzite. And they did not look happy with her. It was certainly a first. They had never spoken so harshly to her before.

"I can't believe you would have made enemies so soon, Shinju!"said Minako. "That's not the best impression to give!"

"I didn't make enemies."she said. "Rather, they made me. I have never even been rude to anyone. Haven't I curtseyed to everyone I should? Haven't I always respected those I should?"

"You've done everything you should, but showing how much you disdain them at the same time."Kunzite pointed out. "And deliberately."

Ceres bit her lip. She never bothered to hide her feelings to anyone. She might speak civilly to Kayla, but she made sure that people noticed how much she disliked her. She had never been outright rude, or said anything, but she always made sure Kayla did the most menial tasks, did not offer her a seat, ignored her, always made sure she was last.

"I have never spoken a single word against anyone."she told them. "Not even a whisper, not to _anyone_."

"But in your actions! Just how does that look to the rest of the quartet? To the other girls? To the Empress?"asked Kunzite.

"She ruined the special dress the Empress had made for Small Lady!"she exclaimed. "Precisely when we were going to dine with her! And…and I want her dismissed from Small Lady's court."she said to her parents. "I don't want to be around her. She insults people. She insults the other girls here. She insulted _me_. I will _not_ be nice to someone who insults me and my parents! Mama did not marry below her! And I will do everything to make her know what I think of her."

"You shouldn't let what someone like that girl says."Minako told her. "She comes from a minor Lunarian family. Not with the richest prospects, but with a long line. Mostly what they have are their titles. Few estates, even. I believe the Empress bought her wardship."

Minako and Kunzite were just as angry as Ceres was, she could tell. Another person might not. They both looked perfectly calm.

"I _am_ civil to her. But I will not favor her in any way."

"No, you will not favor her."said Kunzite calmly. "But neither will you be rude."

"I'm not rude. But it would be hypocritical of me to pretend I like her."

Kunzite raised an eyebrow.

"I do understand you, Shinju. Do you think I am immune to emotions? Many people would say so. Not would, but even do."

"It's not hypocritical. It's more like good manners. Good breeding. Good education. We simply did not bring you up to treat people in that way. You must set an example to the rest of the quartet. You are their leader, and you have a duty. You must learn to keep a cool head, not be given to those outbursts like the one we heard about. Which I hope is a lie?"said Minako.

Ceres hung her head.

"It's not a lie. I did argue with her."

It was no surprise everyone heard. And of course, by now not only the entire palace, but probably the entire Moon knew about it.

"I'm sorry."

Her parents nodded.

"Intrigues at court are nothing new. You'll find them everywhere."said Minako.

"Even I can't say I never had anyone banned from court."said Kunzite.

They turned to look at him.

"Don't look so surprised. There really were people I didn't like! It's not only good manners, good diplomacy, but think that if no one can tell what you're thinking, it gives you an advantage. It was just so subtly, that it seemed I had nothing to do with it."

" _You've_ banished people from court? Don't tell me for personal reasons? You're sure it wasn't just because they had in some way really done something wrong? Failed in their duty to Prince Endymion?"asked Minako.

"Um, yes. I guess this means that even I am no one to be lecturing on letting one's personal opinions, doubts, or anything get in the way of their duty?"

"Engaging in yelling matches is no way to solve this. That took me forever to learn, just so you know. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Even now. Ugh, if I were ever to see-!"

"Oh, I know."said Kunzite.

"But your father is right. You really do have to learn to hide what you think. Make people think you like them. Smile, and pretend to be happy to see them, things like that. Give a good impression. That's a good start. For this Kayla. Hmmm. We will let you figure out the best way to deal with this on your own. It will be a good lesson."

Kunzite nodded.

"Done viewing!"

* * *

They sat around the table, while practicing their bird and flower painting of the Four Gentlmen.

"It doesn't seem like there's much different here."said Vesta. "We're just not at Vesta, but it's still lessons and lessons and more lessons."

"But art lessons are the best!"said Small Lady. "And the most fun!"

"I wish we could do bamboo painting instead. Those are easier."said Pallas.

"Use a bamboo for summer instead of a lotus."Juno told her.

"I like the lotus best."said Small Lady. "Anyway, I walked all the way to the back of the palace."Small Lady was saying.

"Why in the galaxy would Your Highness be walking to the back of the palace?"asked Ceres. "For a snack?"

"No. For that, I would just send for one."Small Lady told her before resuming her story. "And I saw a door."

"Ooohhh, hidden doors!"exclaimed Vesta, putting her brush down. "Did you open it?"she went on eagerly.

Small Lady shook her head.

"No. It was a huge double door. With all kinds of symbols on it. I tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge! I've seen it and tried before, but I've never been able to open it!"

"What do you think is behind it, Highness?"asked Ceres.

"I have no clue."

"It could be anything!"said Juno.

"That's what I'm afraid of."whispered Pallas to Ceres.

"Anything could really mean anything. It could be something extraordinary! It could even be something ordinary. Rooms that haven't been used for a long time."

"We could send someone else to see."said Pallas.

"No. I think we should."

Small Lady sounded eager.

* * *

 _I'm not sure whether the Four Gentlemen has a lotus or a bamboo. Therefore, the little comments about the lotus and the bamboo._


	5. Chapter 5

Small Lady directed them to the back of the Palace. There seemed to be fewer windows down theses corridors, and was darker. It seemed to Ceres she had never appreciated the huge lovely ceiling to floor windows at Ceres, Magellan and the Moon Palace enough. The light that came through them, too. The sparkling marble floors gave way to onyx, and the paintings and tapestries on the walls switched from the beautiful portraits and moonscapes, fountains, balls, and other ceremonies, giving way to darker themes. The predominating colors were of garnet and a dark green and black.

They stopped at one.

"I've never seen clocks like those before!"exclaimed Vesta.

"Melting clocks!"

In the painting, there were several clocks which seemed to be melting.

"They seem to be _dying_!"Ceres squealed in horror. "The way they're melting!"she gestured.

"I will never say anything about killing time again!"exclaimed Pallas.

The others stared.

"An expression of Plutonian origin. Meaning something like doing something for lack of anything to do. Do you suppose this could be the origin of the phrase?"she gestured towards the painting.

"We don't have all day."Ceres told them. "We'd better get going!"

"I regret that I ever even thought of riding a bike."Juno said. "If we walk, maybe it will take so long that we'll have to turn back."

"You don't tell me you're scared?"said Vesta.

"Of course not. I'm more worried. What if we're late? Or…or…"

"Or you're afraid."Ceres confirmed for Vesta.

"We won't be late."giggled Small Lady.

Finally, they reached a foyer which led to the door Small Lady had told them.

"I've never seen such a gigantic door, Highness!"exclaimed Ceres. "I think it must be the only one in the galaxy."

"Um, what style is it? I think it is late Plutonian. Interesting."

Pallas was just making it up and was about to turn away, when Small Lady raised her hand.

"Do know about architecture?"she asked.

"She knows more about lectures, actually."Vesta pulled at her. "And speaking of lectures, she's right! We don't want to be late for dinner!"

Juno examined the door more closely.

"It's oak."she stated. "Red oak."

"Ah, that's good to know."said Ceres. "That means you get to go in first."

The others nodded.

"You guessed what type of wood the door is, so you get to go in first!"

"Pallas guessed what style it is."Juno protested.

"That didn't count because Pallas knows everything, anyway."

Pallas nodded.

"You can't argue with Shinju!"Pallas agreed.

"I'm the leader, we do things my way, and I say Reijena goes first!"said Ceres.

Small Lady, Vesta, and Pallas nodded.

"But we need its key!"Juno reminded them. "Without it, I guess there's no way."

"I'm sure Shinju has it."said Small Lady. "Check, Shinju."

Ceres took her keys out of her skirt pocket. She had the keys to Small Lady's rooms, but certainly not to every door to the palace. To her surprise, there was a key she had never noticed there before.

"I've never seen this key before!"she exclaimed.

"It looks similar to some of the symbols of the door!"Small Lady noticed.

"Well, Omoikane,"Vesta said to Pallas. "One thing we can say is we'll never be late for dinner here. Or anywhere for anything!"

In the foyer, they were surrounded by shelves and shelves of clocks of all sorts, as well as hourglasses and other timekeeping devices. There were clocks of all sorts, mantelpiece clocks, grandfather clocks, as well as incense clocks.

There were also flat sundials, horizontal sundials, spherical sundials, equatorial sundials. On a shelf next to them was a heavy book. Pallas ran towards it. The others watched as she opened it. It was full of about nothing but equations.

"What good in the galaxy would a sundial be here?"asked Ceres, as Pallas made sense of whatever the equations in the book meant.

"I'm not sure."answered Pallas. "But here's everything you need to know about them. How to read them, how to construct them, how they work on different planets. In this equation here, on Earth for example, the sun rotates 360 degrees in 24 hours, so the hour lines must be at 15 degree angles."

"These are very pretty watches."said Small Lady, gesturing a vitrine case of thousands of watches.

Ceres left Pallas to the equations, and turned her attention to Small Lady. Pallas had completely lost her as soon as she began. She was no good at math. Thankfully, two of the four of them was.

That was why she had assigned Juno to do Small Lady's accounts. Although she brought the book to Ceres, she told her that she had complete confidence in her, because in truth, she couldn't make heads or tails of it. There was enough money for Small Lady's expenses and that was what mattered, she thought. Juno was excellent at keeping track of money.

On Venus, it was Launcekrona who did the accounts. Math and money were the things she struggled most with, more than spoken languages.

"Your Imperial Highness was right when you said we wouldn't be late."said Ceres.

"It would be pretty if there was only some light, and it wasn't so creepy."said Juno.

The sound might even be lulling. Tick tock, tick tock. The hours kept dancing away without stopping. Tick tock, tick tock. The stars move slowly as the hours keep going. Tick tock, tick tock. The hands on the clock face completed their journeys from the twelve to the one, to the two, eventually to the twelve again, to begin their journey once more.

"Shinju! Shinju!"she heard Vesta.

Ceres jumped and opened her eyes. She hadn't realized the clocks really had lulled her. It was a good thing she had only been lulled for a few minutes.

"The door."gestured Small Lady.

"Oh! Yes, Highness!"she had completely forgotten why they were here in the first place.

Reluctantly, they approached the large door, and Ceres took out her ring of keys. They all jumped when the clocks struck the hour. The candle clocks were suddenly replaced in a blink. In the blinking of an eye, as the flame died, the candles were suddenly replaced, with a flame burning in the first candle again.

"I think there are ghosts in here!"squeaked Juno.

"I don't believe in ghosts!"said Ceres harshly, as she bent to pick up her keys, having dropped them when the clocks had scared them.

Would any of their senshi attacks be any good against ghosts, the idea suddenly occurred to her.

"That doesn't mean they aren't real!"

She looked at the nearest clock. How long had they wasted here? It seemed if they were ever to get out of this place they would have to go through this door.

"I should go first, Highness."she said to Small Lady. "You come next, and,"she gestured to the others. "You will follow Her Imperial Highness. I will look first."

"Absolutely, O Fearless Leader!"Juno agreed.

Fearless, my foot, thought Ceres, as she was shaking in her shoes. But maybe it was good that they thought that she wasn't afraid.

Just a peak, she told herself, and they would immediately return the way they came. The sooner they returned the better. On that she would be firm. They would return immediately.

"Maybe if we knocked."she suggested instead.

Think how disappointed Mama and Papa would be if they heard that I had suggested that!she said to herself.

"Who knows who or _what_ might answer!"

Small Lady shook her head.

"No, not knock. I've tried that already. We have to open it."

"Hasn't Your Highness asked the Empress? Or the Crown Princess or Prince?"asked Vesta.

"No luck. I was afraid to go on my own."Small Lady admitted. "But the five of us can."

Finally, Ceres inserted her key into the lock. She so wished that she had one of her father's swords with her right now. She took her transformation pen from her girdle. They might have to transform at a moment's notice. Hopefully that time they'd spent in training would pay off now. Concentrate, visualize, and aim, Minako had told her. Her father being the best swordsman in the galaxy, and her mother the most powerful senshi after Sailor Moon herself, and both leaders, and she was terrified of a door. She mustn't let fear or doubt get in the way of her duty.

"Hello?"she said.

There seemed to be nothing but darkness on the other side of the door. Behind her, Small Lady and the others pushed to take a better look, and she was forced to open the door further. She would not, however, take a step onto the threshold.

"I am Her Grace, Princess Shinju of Venus, Duchess of Ceres, Lady of the Evening Star of the Middle East and Sailor Ceres, the Soldier of the Harvest."she said, as if that would make a difference, she thought.

"It sounds as if something's lurking there?"moaned Juno.

With the other three and Small Lady pushing behind her, she lost her balance, and stumbled onto the threshold.

* * *

 _Ceres is the goddess of the harvest and agriculture. I thought agriculture sounded weird, so I titled her the Soldier of the Harvest._

xSmallLadySerenity13- _I don't think I could have, either. It's something pretty difficult, to pretend you like someone, especially when you feel about them the way Ceres and Kayla do about each other._


	6. Chapter 6

"Hello."said Diana.

Except for Small Lady, the other girls screamed. Ceres turned around and pushed everyone back outside. She pulled the door shut behind her, and was about to lock it again, when Small Lady pulled her hand back.

"But we only just opened it."she told her.

"And now we're shutting it! There's someone in there!"

Small Lady rolled her eyes, as she reached for the doorknob.

"But of course there's someone in there!"she said impatiently, as she opened the door again. "Diana. And this is Sailor Pluto."

Sailor Pluto looked at them across the threshold, looking amused.

"I don't think anyone has ever been so afraid to cross this threshold before."

Ceres and the others composed themselves.

"You might want to be careful not to drop this, either."Diana stepped up, holding Ceres's transformation pen. Ceres blushed.

"Oh! Thank you."she took it from Diana, looking embarrassed.

Couldn't she have waited until later, when the others couldn't see that she'd dropped it?

"You're welcome, Your Grace."

Taking it from Diana, she put it back on her girdle before any of the others could see. Too late.

"You dropped your transformation pen?!"exclaimed Pallas.

"At least I was ready. In the time it would have taken to pull it out of my pocket, anything might have happened!"she snapped.

"And it would have done you little good in the time it would have taken you to find it again."said Juno.

"There's no need to fight, girls."said Sailor Pluto.

"Pluto, Small Lady and me have been friends for a long time. We happened to stumble across the door one day, and had to see what was in it."

"We can stay on this side of the door if you prefer."said Pluto.

"I'm staying here."said Pallas immediately.

"That explains all the clocks."said Ceres. "Is that what it's like on Pluto? Clocks and clocks and even more clocks everywhere?! You have to see my history dolls! I have a set of dolls, each of them is a different princess of Venus! Mama gave them to me because I like history so much! You must have met all of them, though!"

History was Ceres's favorite subject. She loved history as much as she disliked math.

"Most of them, yes."Pluto nodded. "I've also performed reanimations for and of them."

"The Empress gave us one."said Vesta. "But what exactly is a reanimation?"

"You get to speak to a dead soul."

She gestured towards a river behind her, the River Styx.

"I can summon any one of them, and you can speak to them. The Empress each gave you one, so you can only speak to one soul, so choose carefully."

"Do you have a reanimation? If you could choose, who would you talk to?"asked Vesta.

"That would be a little redundant. She lives with the dead. What good would a reanimation do her? You must have gotten something else."said Pallas.

"Live with the dead. That's something I've never heard before. Live with the dead. Sounds more Saturnian than Plutonian. Live with the dead."said Pluto.

"Ah, Sailor Pluto,"asked Juno."did you paint that…well _horrible_ picture of the clocks dying."

"We saw it on our way here! They were on a beach, and they were melting, it looked like the end of the universe, as if time itself was dying."said Vesta.

"Oh, that one. No, I did not paint. I have no talent for painting, unlike Small Lady. I never interpreted it like that, however. Time dying. But the painter was Plutonian. It's one of the Empress's favorite pieces. Mine, too. Perhaps you find it a little frightening or puzzling because you are young. One learns to see time differently as one grows older."

"How old are you?"Ceres blurted out.

"Old?"asked Pluto.

Ceres nodded.

"I've read stories. Legends."she said. "Some say you have the blood of the God of Time himself. That ages and ages ago, he…created you. How you were brought up specifically to guard this door."

"Yes."Pluto answered. "I was raised to have no…attachments."

She looked sad, as though it caused her pain to remember and would rather not talk about it.

"You must know everything about everything. What's true, and what isn't."

"Shinju loves history."Small Lady said. "She impresses my history tutor so much. I think she knows more than she does."

"I see."

"What about the story about the time and space traveler? Or the one with the time turner? Is that true? Or the compass that tells time and space, not the directions."

"Oh, those! The one who found the secret of time travel."

Pluto sat cross legged on the floor, and set her rod beside her. The others did the same, as she told them the story.

* * *

"That was extraordinary!"said Ceres.

"A very good lesson, too."agreed Pallas. "Especially the story about the time traveler."

They had all heard the story.

"I often thought it was fiction or that perhaps it was actually the senshi of Pluto herself. She insists that it was true, and it wasn't herself."said Juno.

"Pluto and I have been friends since Diana and I found the door. We visit her often."

"That means we can go again?"asked Vesta.

"Yes."

"I think the Empress might have wanted us to stumble across it on purpose."said Diana.

"You mean the Empress put that key in my keychain?"asked Ceres.

"No, I did. You don't need a key to open the Time-Space Door."said Small Lady.

"That was very mean!"said Ceres. "That only made it scarier."

* * *

"What do you need so many fabrics for? New dresses?"Juno asked Ceres, as she looked up from the account book.

"Oh, those!"exclaimed Ceres.

She remembered telling Kayla that she could have as many new dresses as she pleased. She'd written it down and had forgotten all about it.

"I made a mistake."she said hastily. "Forget those."

Juno crossed those out, and then handed the book to Ceres who put her seal on it.

"Pluto always tells good stories. But sometimes I wonder if she's actually talking from her own memory, of it it's just something she's telling."said Small Lady.

"Yes. I think she might have been there but just as an observer, though."said Pallas. "You think about things so much, but imagine having actually been there!"

"Or if the stories might be made up?"asked Vesta.

Ceres leaned a little away from the others towards Diana.

"You didn't have to give me back my transformation pen right in front of everyone."she whispered.

"Oh? But I couldn't have kept it, Your Grace."

"I mean you could have waited until no one would notice that I had dropped it. But anyway, I think I've finally figured out a solution to the problem."

"Your Grace? I wasn't aware you had a problem. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"It's one we all do. That horrid creature, Kayla!"

"I must admit that I've never liked her at all, but she is a ward of the Empress's and has given good service. Everyone would be so happy if she left. Some of us have been waiting for a husband to be found for her. There is no place for boys at Small Lady's court, so married; she would have to leave, instead of having her husband come here, like it's usual. Hardly anyone has ever liked her. Just why do you think she's here? Probably because a place can't be found for her elsewhere."

Ceres's eyes grew wide.

"The Empress wouldn't allow just anyone who just wasn't wanted anywhere else serve Small Lady, would she? But you said she's a ward. If she's a ward, can't someone buy her wardship?"asked Ceres eagerly.

That would be a perfect solution! She was sure if she asked Minako and Kunzite, they would not hesitate to do so. Or if not them, if the others asked their parents, they would. Among them they would find someone to take her from Small Lady's court. Or there were dozens of people at court who could purchase her wardship.

"The problem, Your Grace, is she has no fortune. She's no heiress. Good luck finding someone to purchase it."

"If she wasn't so hateful, I might almost feel for her. Almost. But some things are unforgivable. Including causing rifts here."

She looked at the correspondence besides the account book where Pallas had left it. Pallas was Small Lady's scribe, and sorted through all of Small Lady's correspondence. There might be something there, too, thought Ceres. She looked from the correspondence to Pallas, an idea occurring to her.

"Shinju! Diana!"Small Lady called them.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"I was saying how terrified everyone was! And you said you think ghosts don't exist!"

"I wasn't really afraid."said Vesta, looking uncomfortable. "It just seemed the right thing. And the place was scary."she admitted.

"I did think there might be ghosts or monsters."said Juno. "I love ghost stories!"

Pallas looked horrified.

"But ghosts aren't real!"exclaimed Small Lady. "The clocks, those were only clocks, and that it was dark, there wasn't anything in there."she protested.

"But there might have been!"said Juno.

"No, I don't think so."affirmed Ceres. "I don't believe in ghosts. Much less in monsters. And monster stories always have monsters in them."

"That's what makes them monster stories."said Vesta, rolling her eyes.

"We've had enough monsters and ghosts for one day."Pallas said quickly. "Imagine if something did pop out!"

"Sometimes things do. Papa tells great ghost stories."said Juno.

"I don't think I want to hear."said Pallas.

"I do!"said Vesta.

"The one Pluto told us about the time travelling compass reminded me of one of the ones Papa told me! He knows lots of them, like the one in which the ghost devours-"

"Stop! That you're beginning to scare Omoikane!"said Small Lady.

"Yes."Ceres agreed. "Then she won't be able to sleep all night! And we have to train tomorrow."


	7. Chapter 7

" _Ceres Asteroid Power, Make up"_

Minako viewed as Ceres transformed.

" _Ceres Demeter Sheaf"_

" _Ceres Cereal Grain"_

Ceres performed both attacks for her mother, who viewed her. Minako clapped.

"You see? Visualize! You finally got the grains to aim at a specific target, and catch up it! And the sheaf to immobilize it! I wouldn't want to be receiving them!"

"When the Empress comes to watch, it makes me nervous!"Ceres said. "Small Lady likes to watch, too, but she doesn't. Only the Empress."

Since Minako and the others were at the Palace of Serenity, she could only view. Sometimes the Empress came to see the girls training, either together or separately.

"Don't try too hard to impress her. Just do your best. And you're lucky that the Empress herself takes such an interest in your training. But Makoto and I have decided you and Juno will start training together. You'll have to learn to handle the _Rolling Ball_ attack together. That's something new, as well. We never practiced against each other, even as targets."

At least twice a week, the quartet were summoned for their training. Minako would view and instruct Ceres. At least as much as it was possible, since they were not in the same room.

Viewing, or seeing, it was still one of the most enjoyable things for Ceres. Her parents had always inquired about her daily life. And there was much more to tell here than when she had been at Ceres.

"The other day we went to a different wing of in the back of the palace. It was so dark, and filled with clocks. Small Lady took us to a door, and insisted that we opened it. I kept wishing it wouldn't open. I think she put the key to it in my keys because I suddenly found it in my keychain. Then it turned out there was no need for a key."

"You took the route from the Moon Palace to the Time-Space Door?"asked Minako.

"Yes. And it was not fun! There was actually a painting of clocks dying. It was funny, too. The way you could hear tick tocking."

"The tick tock that reminds you of pain. That you wish for it to hold time still in its hands."

Ceres nodded, not noticing that Minako was suddenly lost in her thoughts.

"Yes. But Pluto said stopping time was one of the Taboos. It was really mean of Small Lady to make us think there are actual ghosts in the Moon Palace!"she continued.

"But aren't there?"asked Minako, breaking out of her reverie.

"I don't believe in ghosts."said Ceres stubbornly.

"Don't you?"

Minako's eyes widened.

"I myself have always been a great believer in the story about the princesses in the Tower."she told Ceres.

"Only the Empress is allowed in the Crystal Tower. She wouldn't go if it was dangerous. Someone would have to go with her. Have you ever seen a ghost?"

"I don't think ghosts are meant to be seen. They're meant to be…felt."

Ceres felt a chill.

"There are no ghosts, Mama."she said uncertainly. "Perhaps on Pluto or Saturn. Not in the Moon Palace. Or anywhere else."

She remembered the River Styx.

"You're only teasing me."she continued.

"Perhaps I am, and perhaps I'm not. You'll just have to discover for yourself."

If she had to decide for herself, she had already decided. She hated ghosts.

"Can you buy a wardship?"Ceres wanted to stop talking about ghosts, and wanted her parents to buy Kayla's wardship. "Can you?"

"A wardship? Whose? From who? Ah, wait. Whoever this girl is."

It didn't take Minako long to guess it.

"If you bought it, she would have to leave court!"said Ceres.

"And if, as her legal guardian, I decided she should remain at Small Lady's court?"

Mama wouldn't, Ceres thought to herself.

"You would find someone else to buy it? If I would sell it? And if I wouldn't? And neither will any of you girls' parents, I can assure you that. For one, she is the Empress's ward, and another, she's not a great heiress. And if she were my ward,"Minako's eyes hardened. "there is absolutely _no_ possibility of her being welcome at my court, or anywhere on my planet. Not even if she had the greatest fortune in the galaxy. I'm sorry, Shinju, but the only reason she's tolerated is because her wardship belongs to the Empress, and she serves Small Lady. No one who speaks against my husband or my daughter in any way, is welcome anywhere in my principality."

"She isn't welcome here, either!"Ceres said. "People only tolerate her because of Small Lady."

Besides, she thought, not only would she be unwelcome at her mother's court, she would be completely miserable there, Ceres was sure. Minako's courtiers would certainly see to that, seeing how she distressed Minako and Kunzite.

"Unfortunately, that's not my court. And she seems to rival you for Small Lady's favor, if you haven't gotten rid of her yet. Anyway, it's not so simple, Shinju. You'll come across more people you dislike many times. Some may be people of influence. You'll have to learn to deal with them on your own."

"I can't tell Small Lady what she said. That would upset her so much! And what if she doesn't believe me? The Empress might not believe me either. I might be the one to get in trouble. What if she thinks I'm spreading rumors just out of spite?"

* * *

One of the Mercurians who had come with Pallas handed Ceres the correspondence. She had decided that she would be the one handling all of the correspondence for Small Lady. Pallas had been very upset.

 _"I'm the one who should be Her Highness's scribe."Pallas insisted. "I'm to be Princess of Mercury one day, and I will handle her correspondence!"_

 _"You have your hands full for the time being with all the accounts. I will take over the correspondence for the time being."Ceres told her. "Only for a short, short time."_

Just about all the messengers in the entire galaxy were Mercurians. It was a trade in which they specialized in. If you wanted to get a message, a package, anything to someone else, the messenger was most likely Mercurian.

Ceres was sure that any messages Kayla would send, would have to through a Mercurian at one point or another. All the Mercurians sided with her against Kayla. They disliked her for having insulted their princess's heiress. It wouldn't be difficult for them to find out where any of the correspondence was going.

When she heard why Ceres wanted to take over the correspondence for a while, Pallas was more than happy to help. Each day, the two went through all the correspondence together. Most of it were gifts, cards, and letters for Small Lady from her grandmother's subjects.

They had set up an entire wall to pin on the cards and letters, and shelves where they put on display the gifts sent to her. That was an old tradition that was followed by all of them. Each girl had her own both back at their own duchies and here.

"I think I have something else here."said Pallas.

Kayla did not send messages through different messengers, but as they had guessed, they were Mercurian, and were loyal to Pallas. Instead of taking it to its location, they would hand them to Ceres and Pallas. When something came in, they did the same. Most of it was nothing. When that was so, they would reseal them, and allowed them to be taken wherever they were sent.

"Oh, my!"exclaimed Ceres.

She would have torn the paper to shreds and thrown it in the fire if it wasn't for the fact that they needed it as evidence. Pallas took it from her, and put it in a pile in a drawer.

"How dare you insult my family so."said the Empress.

The quartet stood beside her, and Kayla before her. Luna sat on the right arm of her chair. They were in one of her sitting rooms. Apparently, it seemed that the Empress did not deem Kayla even worthy of entering even the main throne room. At least that was Ceres wished now that she saw Kayla banished. Pallas and Ceres had decided to give the letters to the Empress as proof.

* * *

"How dare you dare my granddaughter! And her gaurdians!"

Ceres had never seen the Empress so angry. Usually a calm, kind and sweet lady, it was certainly impressive just how angry she could be. She threw the letters at Kayla.

"After everything that has been done for you! I have allowed you to come to court, to have the honor to serve my granddaughter, and I find that all you think of her is that she is only half royal! You belittle my son-in-law! You are banished from this court! I would banish you from my domains altogether! If it was not for the humiliation it would cause my daughter, her husband and their daughter, I would banish you before the entire court!"

She did not bother to dismiss them herself, but walked out of the room herself. Luna followed her. Kayla found herself alone with the quartet.

"Didn't you hear? You are banished!"Vesta said.

"I don't suppose you have much to pack."Pallas added.

"So you don't need anyone to help you pack!"Juno scorned.

And be grateful you're not a man, because my Papa is the best swordsman in the galaxy. He would defeat you in a duel.

"You will leave the Moon Palace by sunset. You are to go to the Countess of Bohr. She probably needs a new serving girl."said Ceres. "There's a litter outside waiting for you. _Not_ at the main entrance. One of the Empress's valets is waiting for you."

 _Ceres is the Roman counterpart of Demeter, and is the goddess of agriculture. A sheaf is a bundle of cereal plants. Ceres is actually where the word cereal comes from. Hence the odd attacks names._

 _Many royal favorites have fallen by their rivals proving things against them through things like their correspondence, both in truth, or by forging. Others have been assassinated. While it may seem that they went a little too far in going through her mail, it was better than assassinating her, and in this case, it was true. Others have had things made up about them. This is one milestone for Ceres, and she had to solve it herself. Rivals are not easy to deal with, and sometimes it really is you or them, not just ambition, but survival. Since they're girls, it's just that they don't like each other and are rivals because each one wants to be first._

 _Her parents wanted her to solve it herself, introducing her to court politics. It's not teasy to get rid of rivals like she wanted her parents to buy Kayla's wardship. She couldn't just tell the Empress without proof, so she went through her correspondence._

 _We'll see what other things await the girls when they visit the other planets._


	8. Chapter 8

Part II

Jupiter

It had been decided that the next planet they would visit was Jupiter, and now they were at the Palace of Juno. Small Lady was probably the most enthusiastic of all of them.

"I've never left the Moon!"she said.

"We'll make you especially welcome on Jupiter."Juno told her.

* * *

The entire garden was engulfed with roses, and their scent was everywhere. There were also many peafowl as well as geese strolling in the garden, as well. Juno pointed them out and told them their names.

"You name your geese and peacocks?"asked Vesta.

"Yes. Don't worry, the ones in the gardens won't end up on the table. You'll love them when you try them, though. That one is an unusual one. Her name is Nuvie. She was given to me as a gift when she was still a peachick."

She pointed towards a white peacock.

"I named her that because I will be wearing her feathers on my wedding dress! She will match my dress. Or rather my dress will match her. That's why her name is Nuvie. Like I will be on the day she is in my bridal train and I'm wearing her feathers. They look out whenever she molts, and I keep her feathers."

"Er, don't you mean _his_? All pea _cocks_ are males."said Pallas. "The females are peahens."

"What difference does it make, Omoikane?"said Small Lady, marvelling at the bird's feathers. "I've never seen a peacock that's only white before."

The birds were just as abundant as the roses. One of the fountains in the courtyards was even a peacock. Water sprouted behind the peacocks, in place of their long tails.

"This is where I usually give my tea parties."Juno told them. "The figs grow in the wild."she said, gesturing at the dishes on the table. "There are some places where they're cultivated, but the ones that grow in the wild are best. And also make jam from them. I only arrived here with everyone, so I'm sorry I didn't prepare any of it myself. I will prepare my own recipe for everyone, though!"

They were served glasses of something pink, and Juno sliced and served pieces of an odd looking cake and handed dishes of it to them.

"Bandung!"exclaimed Juno.

"And baklava!"exclaimed Ceres. "They eat it in my father's kingdom of the Middle East on Earth."she said, noticing the looks of incomprehension on the other's faces. "His chefs from Earth cook it. It's one of his favorites."

"Well, this is _Jovian_ backlava."said Juno. "And my chefs don't cook it, I do. And I will cook it for everyone."

"What's the difference?"asked Vesta.

"Jovian baklava uses rosewater as a sweetener. We should have asked for Lord Kunzite to send us his bakers. Then Your Highness would see that I cook better baklava."

"The competition was supposed to be with my bakers!"Ceres reminded her. "Ah, Small Lady should pick some ingredients, and we'll see who is most creative with whatever ingredients they're given. You or one of them!"

* * *

"These are my own gardens."said Juno, as they continued to stroll around. "I tend them. While I've been away, the gardeners have. Some of the ones here I've designed myself. I also like to design gardens. These little arrangements are my own."

Juno pointed to flowers arranged in color to resemble peacocks and lined up with her own symbol.

"Those are very pretty, Reijena!"said Vesta.

Juno paused a minute, as if thinking.

"There's a maze here. In one of the courtyards. If you make it to the middle, you're supposed to find something special there."she told them.

"What is it?"asked Vesta, enthusiastically.

"I don't know. No one's ever told me."she frowned. "I don't even know if anyone ever has made it to the middle."

* * *

The next all of them dressed in their ducal regalia, except for Small Lady. Small Lady wore an elegant dress in her favorite shades of pink. They went in procession to the presence chamber, Small Lady preceding the others. Usually Juno would sit in the ducal throne, but this time, Small Lady did, with the others sitting of her.

"The married ladies come to present gifts!"explained Juno to them. "It was one of them who gave me Nuvie! It's supposed to be that they ask their husbands for gifts to send to me, but I guess some of them probably bring them of their own accord, or ask someone else for it. It's usually gold, but they bring many things."

They had a similar tradition as this one where the married women were giving Juno gifts at Ceres. Except that it was once a year, instead of once a week. Each year, at harvest time, people came to present her with the first of their harvest. Her presence chamber filled with oats, bran, pearl millett, maize, barley, rice and just about every cereal and grain one could think of, as well as breads and honey.

"It sounds like you must eat nothing but bread and honey for entire months!"exclaimed Pallas.

"I do always have oatmeal and oatcakes for breakfast, and oatmeal cookies and granola for dessert for months! Or rather, I eat that anyway. All year round. There's always oatmeal, granola, and everything at Ceres."Ceres admitted. "Different breads, too. Mama loves our maltshakes. She sends for malt from my duchy for them. They present me with rye whiskey and rye beer, as well."she tried to keep a straight face.

"You drink?! Other than wine! Spirits and liquor!"exclaimed Pallas.

"The whisky and beer made with barley, too. And they're gifts, as well. Some people bring barrels and barrels of it."

"I suppose it does make sense. If they're gifts, it would be rude not to at least taste them."said Pallas.

"I can let you try them when we go to Ceres."

"I would never do that."said Pallas.

"You drank a strawberry malt when we were on Magellan."Ceres shrugged. "Besides, they're just as common as wine at Ceres."

"Do they give you drinks here as well?"Vesta asked Juno.

"Not so far, no."Juno shook her head. "It's usually gold. It would be interesting if someone did, though. If it would only occur to them. And only married women can give me gifts here. Not spinsters, widows, unmarried ladies. The only time an unmarried woman can approach would be to ask for my blessing to marry. Then I give her a gift. Pomegranates."

"Only married ladies?"asked Vesta.

"Yes."

"You have to have a husband to see the Duchess of Juno?"asked Vesta. "Now that's interesting."

"I don't think having a husband must be so bad. Are all you Martian ladies so chaste?"she turned to look at Vesta's Vestal Virgins.

"I don't believe in having a man dictate my life. It's not the custom at my mother's court, it isn't and will never be a custom at my court. Men have no place at my mother's court, not will they at mine."

"What about Lord Jadeite?"asked Ceres.

"Ah, the consort has no say in anything."answered Vesta, looking at her hands. "Anything at all."

"Well! Married ladies are more than welcome and held in respect here at my court, and are as welcome as anyone else! Especially because of their married state."said Juno coldly. "Another of my main duties as Duchess of Juno is to attend weddings of my staff and friends. People really like that. You'll see. Unless some prefer to not attend at all. It isn't mandatory, after all."

"I'll love to see a wedding!"exclaimed Small Lady. "And to see what people are going to bring! Are we allowed to talk to them?"

"The ladies?"asked Juno. "Yes. Why wouldn't we? They will be honored to be addressed by Your Imperial Highness."

The whole room chamber fell silent, as someone read out Juno's titles. The women came up one by one, offering Juno gifts. Some of them offered Small Lady and the others gifts as well. Like Juno said, most of it was gold. Venus was so rich in metals, especially gold, that there it was almost worthless, she didn't get it as a gift. She was much more impressed with the pomegranates, and especially the furniture. It was all of oak, and the woodwork was very intricate. Ceres received a lovely encoignure with marquetry. Small Lady was especially pleased with a beautiful drawing board.

* * *

"We're going to put on a play for Small Lady!"Juno told them.

"I love dressing up!"said Ceres.

"How long will we have to rehearse?"asked Pallas.

"We won't!"said Juno. "We're going to improvise!"

"You haven't decided what play? Or you haven't written it?"Vesta nodded.

"I can write something."said Ceres.

"No! We're just going to go along as we go! We dress up and we just make it up."

Ceres looked excited, Vesta amused, and Pallas perplexed.

"A play with absolutely no rehearsal or even set plot?"Pallas scratched her head. "I'm not sure there is such a thing, is there?"

"Even better!"said Vesta.


	9. Chapter 9

Ceres looked in the mirror as Launcekrona finished putting her tiara, and veil which reach her feet. Since there was no rehearsing to do, they were able to put on the play in only a week or so. An improvised play!thought Ceres. That would be a lot of fun.

"I think I should have chosen a darker shade?"she asked anxiously. "Like a night sky? Stars show up in the night."

"No, Your Grace. The color is perfect."Launcekrona assured her. "Stars are supposed to shine. What other star can possibly shine brighter than the Evening Star? And since when do Venusians wear dark colors? I think you look lovely."

"I wonder what everyone else will be wearing, and what we will come up with. Hmm."

Her tiara was a large star made of Venusian gold and kunzite. Her dress was pink, and her veil reached to her feet, and her hair dressed in a coil, with her long braids down her shoulders. The dress had a fitted bodice and full length skirt. On her golden girdle, hung several shells. She had insisted that they be real shells, from Venus. From the Evening Star itself, she had insisted. On her ears hung one of her mother's favorite pair of earrings.

"I always wanted to wear these earrings!"she told Launcekrona.

She had seen Minako wear them on a few occasions. It was very clear they were a favorite of hers.

"I'm surprised the princess allowed you to wear them."

"She…didn't. Not really."Ceres admitted.

Launcekrona stared.

"I, uh-took them before we left Venus."

Flashback

 _Minako sat at her dressing table, brushing out her hair. On the many tables, chests of drawers around the room, there were countless items. Ceres liked to open the many caskets and go through the trinkets in them. She would try to remember what was in which of them._

 _Mama always had such pretty jewels, she thought, as she looked through them. If she had thought the royal rooms at Ceres where her parents stayed with her at the Palace of Ceres when they visited her were impressive, that was because she hadn't seen the rooms here at Magellan._

 _Looking up, she saw that Minako's attention was on her mirror. Kunzite sat in a_ _cabriolet armchair not too far away, but absorbed in a book about philosophy._ _Quickly, Ceres took up the pair, and quickly put it in her skirt pocket._

End of flashback

"You went through Her Royal Highness's things and took something?! Your Grace! The princess is bound to notice that they're missing! You're a very naughty girl, Your Grace! When they find out Your Grace has them, they will think I allowed it or perhaps that I took them myself! This will cost me my job, my salary!"

"I will tell them I took them! And maybe they won't even find out! We can put them back before anyone even notices they're gone! You worry too much."

Although she was sure no one saw her take them, now that Launcekrona mentioned it, someone was bound to notice they were missing sooner or later. And probably sooner rather than later.

"And when will that be, Your Grace? We are in the duchy of Juno on Jupiter! The earrings are supposed to be at Magellan Castle on Venus! Or perhaps Her Highness thinks she has them with her?"

Ceres thought.

"We can ask someone to take them back!"

Launcekrona's eyes grew wide.

"Trust anyone with the princess's jewelry?! And how will they put them back in her bedchamber?"

"We can say that I sent them for something I left there?"Ceres suggested weakly.

"Sometimes Your Grace just doesn't think! But I guess there's just no help for it right now."

* * *

When they went on stage, however, Ceres had forgotten that Small Lady and her retinue weren't the only ones in the audience. Lord Nephrite and the Princess of Jupiter were there, too. She saw that her parents were also viewing the play from Venus. She wished she hadn't worn the earrings after all, pulling at the veil so that it almost hid her face. It would do little, however, the earrings were so sparkling and conspicuous.

"I never would have thought I would see you wearing them last night!"

She and Kunzite were viewing Ceres from Magellan to Juno, and they were furious.

"I had almost the entire castle turned inside out to find them."Kunzite told her.

"You didn't dismiss anyone, did you?"asked Ceres anxiously.

If anyone had been dismissed because of something she did, that would be terrible!

"One of the chambermaids."said Kunzite.

"I told you no one in my household would ever take anything."Minako told him.

Ceres was thankful she wasn't home, and would definitely not have wanted to be in that particular chambermaid's shoes. Or the shoes of anyone at Magellan when they had found out those earrings were missing. She could only imagine just what a havoc that would have been.

"We had to find someone, didn't we? They couldn't just have walked off by themselves."said Kunzite, looking uncomfortable, which was something very rare.

He didn't particularly like to admit he was wrong.

"I'm sorry."she said.

"Sorry just isn't good enough to make up for all the trouble it caused!"Kunzite told her.

"And it cost someone their job!"Minako added.

Ceres thought about Launcekrona, and how afraid she had been to have been blamed, which could cost her her job. Launcekrona would have to leave court in disgrace. She felt completely terrible. But it could have been worse, she told herself. The play had gone on perfectly fine, and no one had noticed anything. Small Lady said she enjoyed herself very much. Then Ceres remembered the girl who had been dismissed because of something she had done.

"I can give them a place in my own household! I can give them a pension!"she suggested.

She had to make it up.

"She evacuated her lodgings. As you would know, when we looked the earrings weren't there. We assumed she must have sold them, or had hidden them well."

Oh, no, Ceres thought.

"But I was the one who took them! Can't we find her? I should apologize."she said.

"You're old enough to think about the consequences of your actions."Minako said sternly.

"I never thought that someone could be dismissed, or that they would be blamed."Ceres admitted.

"Than what did you think would happen?"asked Kunzite.

"I didn't think anything would. Least of all that someone would lose their place. It should be me who loses my place, not someone else. I did it more so I could see if I could do it. And I just really wanted to see the earrings. They were just very pretty. I just thought that since I was the one who took them, there wouldn't be a problem."

"I hope you took nothing else."said Kunzite.

"Obviously, you can't lose your place!"said Minako. "But what you will do is pay this girl a pension, from your own purse. To make up for it, as well as the pension, it should include lodgings here. She can continue to serve, if she wishes. But if she does, her salary will come out of your purse as well. I will also tell Launcekrona to limit your spending, and make an inventory of your own jewels. You will only be allowed to wear certain ones. Not all of them."

Ceres was about to say that Launcekrona limited her spending enough already. It was sometimes difficult to cajole enough money out of her. Then she remembered why she was here and decided not to say anything at all.

"You will also write I will not steal again and again every day until you remember it."said Kunzite.

Minako and Ceres both stared at him, looking puzzled. He shrugged.

"What? It was what we had to do when we did something wrong."he said. "At least when we were Shinju's age. Write and write for as long as it took you to remember it. But you had to at least fill ten sheets of paper. It will also give you a chance to practice your penmanship."he told her.

"My handwriting?"Ceres asked, still puzzled.

"I think Shinju has fine handwriting, Kunzite."Minako told him, who was still just as puzzled as Ceres. "I've always found it legible."

Both of them turned to each other, and nodded, as if agreeing that they did not understand a thing.

"That's a lot of paper! Ten sheets! And doesn't paper and ink cost money, too?"said Ceres.

"Don't even go there. Besides, it's an excellent idea."said Kunzite. "You can see that it always worked. We did remember what we wrote."

"Ah, you never did whatever it was you did twice, then?"asked Minako. "And I still don't see what writing something a billion times will help. I never did. Hmm, writing. That's a novelty."

"Not so novel."said Kunzite impatiently. "Just ask anyone."

Minako sighed.

"Well then you'll also write lines, I guess. I'm not sure who was your father's tutor, but who knows, it might just work."she told Ceres.

"I had very fine tutors. The best."said Kunzite.

"Of course, but that doesn't mean they didn't come up with eccentric things."said Minako.

Kunzite rolled his eyes.

"Not eccentric! Like I said, everyone."

"Uh-huh."

* * *

 _I had Ceres take a leaf out of Small Lady's book, except taking earrings, instead of the Crystal._

 _xSmallLadySerenity13x-I'm trying to make each court unique from all the others. Vesta is the virgin goddess of the hearth and home. She chose to take a vow of chastity, is a goddess of fire, and was a priestess. She also had the Vestal Virgins who served her. They will visit Mars soon enough, just as they're visiting Jupiter. Juno's a little more open minded on that because Juno was the goddess of marriage._


	10. Chapter 10

Juno sat at the table on a dais, the bride and groom next to her. She sat at the bride's right, the bride sitting at the center. It looked a little odd, since Juno's chair looked more like a peacock throne, several jewels behind her as if they were the tail feathers. It was much more elegant than that of the bride or groom. The others sat at another table to their right.

"I thought I made an elegant peacock at my parents' masque."said Ceres, looking at the table before her.

"The peacocks came from my own hatcheries!"said Juno, gesturing towards the roasted peacocks, which had been redressed in their own plumage.

They turned. Juno had left her place at the head table and joined them.

"Oh, my!"exclaimed Pallas. "You don't mean-"she looked at the birds on the tables.

"Oh, no. The ones in my gardens? Those aren't meant for the table. They're for my gardens. These came from my hatcheries. The ones in my gardens are precisely for my garden."

"You don't sit at the head table?"asked Vesta.

"Not today. I'd rather sit here."

A chair was brought for her.

"I thought brides usually wore white."observed Small Lady.

"Not always. Mama wore gold for hers."Ceres told her.

Juno shook her head at Small Lady.

"Not here, Highness. They usually wear green, blue, or pink, which are the most popular."

"My wedding dress will be pink. Pink with gold. And I shall also wear Aphrodite's own Girdle. My bouquet must be quince and apple blossoms."Ceres told them.

"My bouquet shall have 44 roses. Pink roses. And at the high table will be giant bouquet of 99!"said Juno. "There shall be 21 roses at each table, too. That would be the centerpiece. My own dress shall be green. I guess the blue doesn't go with the pink of the roses, does it? And I will wear Hera's own veil."

"Aren't we rather young to be thinking of becoming brides?"Pallas pointed out. "It's going to be years before husbands are found for us."

"They won't. The Empress prefers that planetary princess choose their own husbands, not be forced to marry where they don't wish to."said Ceres. "What if you don't want to marry the prince who is chosen for you?"

"We could still marry young, though. I certainly want to."argued Juno. "Many girls are. Some of the girls in my household had husbands found for them already. I've attended their weddings. This is the first wedding I've actually attended as the Soldier of Marriage! I've only attended as duchess before! And the first bedding ceremony I'm going to preside as a senshi, as well."

" _You_ put the bride and groom to bed?"asked Vesta.

Vesta frowned, Pallas blushed, and Small Lady looked curious.

"Of course. I am the Soldier of Marriage."

"Do you give the bride a quince?"asked Ceres. "Mama always gives brides a slice of quince. The have to eat take a bite before entering the nuptial chamber. Mama also presides over putting the bride and groom to bed. She also gives them a concoction to drink. They drink from the same goblet."

"I don't give quinces. I do give many peacocks and geese. As gifts, and for the table. I get to decide how to prepare the nuptial chamber, too. Since this is the first one I get to preside as the Sailor of Marriage. Do you want to see? Or attend the ceremony?"

"And just what would it, er, consist of?"

"No."

"I don't think we should."

"Do you give them the geese and peacocks, right then and there, then? Instead of the quince?"asked Ceres.

She imagined a whole cageful of peafowl and geese being released when Juno gave the bride her nightgown, and laughed.

"No. Not right there! Among the gifts. I wish I could bestow a title on the bride, too. Countess, at least. But only Mama can bestow titles and properties, and estates."

* * *

After the feast, the dancing and the entertainments, the bride and groom received their gifts.

"You get more gifts on a wedding than on a birthday!"exclaimed Small Lady, as they watch the bride and groom go through the gifts. "Now I know another reason to get married!"

"You have to find a groom first, Highness. You can't have a wedding without a groom."Ceres told her, and looked around. "It might take a while for you to find one."

"A long while, hopefully."said Vesta.

"Not too long. You don't want to marry and receive the gifts when you're practically a spinster."Juno shuddered.

Spinsters must not be looked upon very well on Jupiter, thought Ceres. Marriage was clearly very important among Jovians. Perhaps almost as much as it was on Venus. One of the things she had been taught was to learn and always take into account what was important to her future subjects.

"What does happen to a spinster?"asked Ceres.

Juno looked shocked.

"That would be disgraceful! Not only for the woman herself, but for her family! They would fall into disgrace. She would never be accepted in polite society."she frowned. "I know I certainly don't want spinsters in my household."

"Spinsterhood might speak well of a woman."said Vesta, thoughtfully. "That would mean she would be capable and independent."

"Women are capable and independent, whether they are married or not."said Pallas. "I honestly don't see how marriage makes such a great difference in that. Obviously here it does, doesn't it?"she looked at Juno.

"It doesn't have anything to do with one's independence. It is more of…status, how it looks. Spinsters are unlucky. It's more that people pity them more than anything. Like I said, they're unlucky."she said this last sentence in a whisper.

"I wonder if there are any spinsters on the Moon."said Small Lady.

"I think you could find them just about anywhere, Highness."said Ceres. "Except they probably don't wear wedding rings. But a spinster would be someone who never found love. That would be sad, but not disgraceful. Why would you marry someone if you don't love them?"

"A spinster is someone who never married."said Juno. "That is what is disgraceful. That they never married. My governess knows people who married without being in love. Some people do."

The concept seemed completely foreign to Ceres. It seemed here people married without love. Did that mean people also loved without marrying? It seemed Jovians were probably much stranger than she thought. It seemed to them what was important was the state of being married, not so much as loving someone.

* * *

Juno had had coins minted with her emblem as well her profile, for the guests. For the bridal pair themselves, she had added their profiles and initials. Each one was also given a brooch with the other's profile.

"Just like wedding rings."she said. "And see,"she told the others. " _Now_ I present them with the geese and peacocks!"

An entire carriage, or rather float was pulled into the room. The float appeared to be a giant peacock. On each of the eyes in its tail feathers sat a peacock. They all seemed to waving and fanning their tail feathers.

Ceres lost count at 53.

"150 peacocks all together."announced Juno. "That's a about the number of eyes a peacock has in its tail."

Everyone applauded.

"And the geese?"asked Small Lady.

"They're sitting on the peacock itself."

Pointing this out, they looked at the peacock. Their eyes had immediately been drawn by the huge tail feathers, that they seemed to have forgotten the rest of it. On it were several geese. Ceres decided not to try to count them. Those she lost at 70.

"The geese are 200. Only the peacocks are here, but I'm also giving them peahens. An entire flock of peafowl!"said Juno.

"That's one huge flock of birds!"exclaimed Ceres.

"Are these for their table, or for display?"asked Vesta, who sounded awed.

"Whichever they choose, I guess."Juno answered.

"I'd keep them in an aviary."said Ceres. "They're too pretty to be eaten! And then when you do eat them, they don't molt anymore. That's what I'd keep them for, as well. To collect the feathers for pretty fans and dresses."

"And pull your carriage."said Juno.

"Peacocks? Pull carriages?"

"Yes. Mine, anyway. My state carriage. Used by all the Duchesses of Juno, since Hera. We'll have to ride in it before we leave Jupiter!"

"Oh, yes! I've only ever seen horses pulling carriages, never birds of any sort!"said Ceres enthusiastically.

"Progress must be very slow, though."said Small Lady.

"Not mine, Highness."

"If we do go slowly, even better. That would allow the crowds to see us even better."said Ceres.

"I assure Your Imperial Highness that the peacocks that pull my carriage do so at a very good speed."

* * *

The festivities were over, and it was time for the bride to retire. Only Ceres went with Juno. Vesta and Pallas refused, and Small Lady's nurse had not allowed her to go. She watched as Juno handed the bride her nightgown and robe. Then she combed out her dark hair, and scented it with rose water. Juno then said she wished for her marriage to be fruitful, while handing the bride a bowlful of pomegranates.

* * *

 _The white wedding dress is relatively new. The white wedding dress became popular with Queen Victoria, who wore a white dress when she married. Before that, brides wore any color, even black, which was actually a favorite for brides at one point. Hence the fact that the bride in this wedding was wearing blue and green, and that Minako wore gold for hers._

 _Juno was the counterpart to Hera, who was the Queen of the Gods and the Goddess of Marriage._


	11. Chapter 11

"The guests are daughters of the nobility. Younger daughters. But sometimes some of the guests are actually commoners."Juno told them.

Ceres looked out the window. The garden party, as it was called, would be taking place in the gardens that you couldn't see from this side of the palace. Juno had told her of such parties at the masque on Venus.

"You two are going to match the roses perfectly!"said Juno to her and Small Lady.

Both Small Lady and Ceres wore pink, Small Lady with a darker pink trimming, and Ceres with gold trimming. The embroidery on Ceres's dress was done in gold scrollwork with acorns among them, and trimmed with several bows and ribbons, just like her mother favored on her own dresses. She wore another large bow on her hair, as well as bows at the end of her braids. On her ears, wrists and throat glittered several pearls.

"I'm going to see to the food one last time, and make sure everything is ready."Juno told them. "I will meet you in the front hall."

Although everyone stood, and they were announced, it was soon clear that there was not much formality or ceremony at these picnics or garden parties. Juno said she liked to see to everything herself. The centerpieces on the tables were bouquets of pink roses. At each place, was a single white rose.

"Only pink and white?"asked Small Lady. "Don't roses come in many colors? Papa's emblem is a red rose."

"When thinking of roses, most people do think of red roses. No red roses here."Juno told them. "And especially not together!"

"Why not red?"asked Vesta.

"Pink goes better with green, green leaves. White, too."said Juno evasively. "It's…not right to have red roses with pink and white."

"You Jovians are such a superstitious people, aren't you?"said Ceres. "Spinsters and now roses. To put red and white roses together means disaster will befall one's family."she explained to the others. "Not so much dishonor as spinsters, but definitely disaster. One's family will be the least of it. Disaster could befall the entire galaxy! But superstitions are only true for those who believe them and are determined to make them come true."

Vesta and Juno shook their heads.

"There's a great difference between something like superstitions and premonitions."said Vesta. "A great one. Still, that doesn't mean superstition should be just ignored."

"Don't dismiss the roses so easily."said Juno.

"I like the pink roses, anyway."said Small Lady. "I just really wish there were red as well."

"I could ask them to bring some, Highness. At least for your place, or if you like, they could be put at the centerpieces or each place."said Juno anxiously.

Ceres could see Juno's crossed fingers behind her back. Probably hoping that Small Lady won't say yes and they do bring in red roses, Ceres thought.

"No."Small Lady shook her head. "You're right. The pink and green are more Jovian colors."

The ducal tent was set up at the end of the garden furthest from them.

"You can go to the ducal tent if you like."Juno told them. "I receive further guests there. Before, I stroll around the garden. I try to say at least a few words to all of the guests, so I will stroll around the garden. There are approximately 500 guests invited to each of my parties."

"That's a lot of people to greet!"exclaimed Pallas.

"I really only say at least a 'how do you do?', or 'how lovely'."Juno admitted. "There's only 500 because there's only one of me. At Mama's garden parties, there can be up to 8,000! However, Papa is there, and sometimes Mama's brothers or cousins, so everyone has a chance to be greeted by a member of the royal family."

"We can help you greet the guests!"said Ceres.

Juno smiled.

"If you'd like to that would be wonderful! If you'd rather not, you can go right to the ducal tent. I greet the debutantes there. They're the most important guests. I also personally baked all the pastries served in the ducal tent for special guests, like the debutantes."

"You really set up this all up yourself?"asked Ceres. "Not even at my court have we ever given something like this. We have balls and parties, but never one like this. Not for debutantes, either."

"Not myself personally, obviously, but yes, I oversaw everything. There are various tea sandwiches, cakes, fruit tarts, scones, jams. There is also iced tea, if you favor that instead of hot tea. For coffee, today I asked that there be different strains. Normally we only serve the Jovian strain, but today, we also have Mercurian, Venusian, Terranian, Lunarian and Martian strain as well. And like I said, I baked the ones in the ducal tent."

They split up. Pallas preferred to go to the ducal tent, where the debutantes sat, everyone else to greet the guests. Small Lady was also led to the tent.

This was something Ceres had never done, even in the balls and parties she had been back at the Palace of Ceres. It seemed here it was important to see to and say a few words to _all_ the guests. And such a large group! It was like a mix of a small party or reunion and a large ball.

She wondered if it would be better to walk around and greet people randomly, or follow down a line, as Vesta was doing. She decided she would simply wander around and greet people as she went by. She would hold her hand out to be kissed, and would initiate a small conversation, usually commenting on the weather, or their dress, and ending it by taking a step back, to signal that the conversation was over.

Even if it was just to exchange a word or two, sometimes some of the girls seemed awestruck to actually be speaking to a royal person. Ceres could tell they had some mixed feelings, though. Some were disappointed that they were not greeted by Juno. Juno might have to go all around and greet all the guests after all. Others seemed thrilled to speak a few words to royalty from another planet. Every now and then it seemed as though she might have a bit of trouble disentangling herself from a particular individual. They seemed to want to follow and talk to her. Others were a little too awestruck to say a word, and they would barely remember to curtsey and nod.

When they got to the ducal tent, where Juno would greet the debutantes, a couple of surprise guests arrived.

"Won't Your Grace of Juno allow us the honor of accompanying you in the ducal tent?"

Ceres turned to see the Princess of Jupiter and Lord Nephrite. She stood up and curtseyed, along with everyone else except Small Lady. The Princess of Jupiter and Lord Nephrite curtseyed and bowed low to Small Lady, who remained sitting in her chair.

"We don't have such important guests at my garden parties!"exclaimed Juno.

The debutantes who were in the ducal tent looked like they agreed.

"I suppose no one would mind if we stayed?"

"No, Your Royal Highness."everyone agreed.

As soon as Small Lady nodded, everyone sat down to enjoy the afternoon.

"The garden party was a lot of fun."said Vesta.

"And all the pastries pretty tasty."agreed Pallas.

"And the gardens so pretty!"said Small Lady.

"That was also a nice surprise from the Princess of Jupiter and Lord Nephrite."said Ceres to Juno.

"Yes, it was. Not just everyone else, but to me, too! But I think for everyone who was there, they will remember this particular garden party for the rest of their lives!"said Juno. "Mama and Papa have never attended one of my garden parties."

"Have you gone to one of the princess's?"asked Ceres.

"No. The next time I probably can. I really hope so."

"I thought we were having dancing lessons! I'm glad to do dancing lessons again!"said Ceres. "I've never done this kind of dancing, however."

She saw several of the girls in Juno's household dressed for their ballet lessons. They certainly did not look like they were dressed for a dance lesson. At least not any dance lesson like the ones she had ever been given.

"It _is_ dancing."Juno explained. "Ballet."

"I've seen ballet. I've never done it."said Ceres.

The other girls nodded, agreeing with her.

"I think it looks very graceful, though."

"I have. And it's very good for you. It's almost like another sport."Juno explained. "We also do gymnastics, as well as martial arts."

"I didn't know martial arts had anything to do with dancing."said Ceres.

"It's like another sport."Juno told her.

"How…unladylike."said Pallas. "Unintellectual. They require rather little thought. Not to offend, but…it doesn't take much to learn. Or do."

Juno shrugged.

"The gymnastics or the ballet? We do a lot of sports here on Jupiter. If you think about it, doesn't everyone? Wouldn't dancing be considered a sport in some ways? And everyone dances. Even on Mercury, I'm sure."

Minako would say something the same thing as Pallas said about hunting and riding, Ceres thought. While Minako was fond of walking, dancing and tennis, things like hunting and riding weren't exactly her forte. Those just weren't common pastimes at home.

"I would like to do ballet."said Ceres. "Then we also play tennis and ride."Juno continued.

"I play tennis as well."Ceres told them. "No one in my household has ever managed to beat me!"

"It'll be good to play against someone else."said Juno. "No one in my household ever has, either."

"What I was actually wondering,"said Pallas. "could we go into the maze? The one we saw the first day."

"No one's ever made it to the middle. No one knows what's there."said Juno.

"At one point someone must have, mustn't they?"

"I never thought Mercurians curious."said Vesta, although she now sounded curious herself.

It seemed Pallas must have struck her curiosity. Juno turned to look at Small Lady.

"Would Your Imperial Highness wish to go into the maze?"she asked. "Would your Lady Grandmother, the Empress, allow Your Highness to go into the maze?"

"Of course she would."

 _On the Moon they discovered the Time-Space Door. What could they possibly discover in the middle of this maze now? Should they go into the maze to begin with…?_


	12. Chapter 12

She could tell Juno was nervous as she lead them into the maze. Perhaps there was another superstition about more disasters in the galaxy? Red roses, spinsters. Now what could a maze hold? Of course there were stories and folktales they told on Venus, but hardly any ended in tragedy or disaster.

"So do you know anyone who's cursed or disgraced?"she asked Juno. "Like spinsters?"

Juno almost fell over.

"Great galaxy! Of course I don't! Do you think I would ever go near someone with such bad luck! Disgrace is one thing. They might taint me, and make it so that it is impossible for me to marry!"

"Do you know _of_ someone, then?"

"Many."Juno said. "But don't worry. They would never allow them near any of us."

"Tell us about the maze instead."said Vesta.

Small Lady and Pallas nodded.

"There lots of stories of what could be there. One is a tiara. Supposedly, the very one first Duchess of Juno's bridal tiara."

"My Lady Mother and My Lady Grandmother both wore Juno's bridal tiara."said Small Lady.

"Actually, no, Your Imperial Highness. That one is actually a duplicate, a copy. The duchess had two made. The one she wore, and another just like it. The real one, she had this maze built, and she hid it right in the middle of it. The Duchess of Serenity and the Empress did wear her veil, though."

"Why would she have two made?"

"I think it was for her own amusement. She was a very jealous lady. She guarded her most precious things very closely. Including her husband. A very egotistical, selfish, and jealous lady. One of her most prized possessions was all of her bridal attire, especially the tiara. The Empress and the Crown Princess of the Moon are the only ones allowed other than Duchess of Juno and Princess of Jupiter to wear any of the Junian bridal attire. The duchess knew this. That was why she had two, supposedly. Then, see, that was something that was only hers. No one would ever guess that they were not married wearing the Junian tiara. She must have thought it somewhat of a joke. You have to admit it was. Or is."

Small Lady was clearly upset.

"That's not right! How could the Princess of Jupiter trick Mama and Grandmama like that!"

She looked at Juno accusingly.

"It's just an old story. It's not true. One of many, but that one's my favorite. My governess would tell it to me every evening before bed."

"And if it's not just a story?!"asked Ceres, as they entered the maze. "If it really is true? Can I wear the tiara if it is true? I would have been one of the ones to have helped you find it!"

Hours Later

"I'm tired!"

"My feet hurt!"

"Why couldn't we have come on horseback or in a carriage instead!"

"I could think of a million things I'd rather be doing!"

They'd been walking for hours. And it seemed as if they'd been walking around in circles. The only thing that came close to be of any guidance were the flower beds, which they usually found at dead ends, or growing at the foot at the hedges. And they weren't even arranged in different patterns to be of much help.

"I think we already passed this flower bed."said Pallas.

She pointed to a few rose bushes.

"No."said Vesta. "Those grew taller than me. These are shorter."

"Let's not argue about the height of the bushes."sighed Ceres. "They're not of much help in telling us where we're going."

"Can't you figure something out? You're smart."Vesta said to Pallas. "You should know how to tell where we are, shouldn't you? Aren't you much smarter?"

Pallas bit her lip and turned to Ceres. They were probably expecting her to come up with a solution.

"One of us has to climb up on top of the hedge and they can see the exit from the sky!"said Ceres.

"But it's so high."

"You're tallest. Pallas will have to climb up on your shoulders to see the maze from over the hedge."she told Juno. "Then they'll be able to see the exit."

"I'm terrified of heights!"said Pallas.

"Then you will."she told Vesta.

"I'm a bit clumsy."said Vesta.

"You don't expect Small Lady to do it, do you?"demanded Ceres.

She could tell that neither was true, neither that Pallas was that afraid of heights, no that Vesta was so clumsy as to fall over. They were just too scared. It was written so clearly in their faces. She had to admit that she was terrified herself. She looked from Pallas to Vesta.

"One of you will have to."she told them, as sternly as she could. "Unless we're to go even further into the maze. We might end up spending the night here! We might never get out! Well?!"

They nodded, although they still seemed reluctant, and neither volunteered.

"It's one thing to be afraid, but don't tell me you're cowards!"she continued.

At this, Pallas looked up, and Vesta stiffened. It didn't seem like it was going to be enough to get either of them to do it, though. She opened her mouth, as though to beg either of them to just do it, so they could get out of there sooner, then decided she couldn't do so. It wouldn't do to beg them. Obviously, their fear was bigger.

 _They…do not…think…_ she thought. She wasn't fond of the idea herself, but she couldn't think of anything else.

She pulled herself to her full height.

"If no one else will do it, then I will!"she told them. "But that doesn't change the fact that you all are cowards."she added.

Ceres reluctantly took off her shoes.

"At least help us!"she told Pallas and Vesta.

At this they obeyed, and helped her climb onto Juno's shoulders. At first, they'd thought that the hedge was just plants. As she went higher, she saw that there was actually a wall. The plants were growing around it, and climbing on it, so it only looked like it was a wall of plants, when really, the plants were hanging on to something.

"I think we can get out of here after all!"she exclaimed.

She climbed over and stood up.

"It's actually a wall! I can see over."

"Do you see the way out?"asked Small Lady, eagerly.

"Not just yet, Highness."

Looking around, she saw not only several hedges and walls of the maze, but something else. Perhaps the secret that was within the maze. Not too far beyond, was what looked like a tall fountain. Was that what was in the middle?she wondered. If so, then what a disappointment. And a lot of trouble for nothing. But could there be something else? That, she told herself, was for another time.

* * *

"I will have your head for this, Makoto!"exclaimed Minako.

If they'd been in the same room, she would ran and shook her at the very least.

"Just where is my daughter!"exclaimed Ami.

"You allowed them to go into some maze, to which there is no map."demanded Kunzite of Nephrite.

"There's no danger there."said Makoto.

She didn't sound so sure. Minako said so.

"Other than the fact that they could be trapped there forever!"exclaimed Jadeite.

"Don't be so dramatic."said Nephrite.

He looked like he wished to disappear, under all the others' furious gaze.

"You had better see to it that my daughter is found safe and sound."Rei told him.

Everyone agreed.

"I should have told the staff to have kept a closer eye on them, but I never thought Reijena would so anything like this! She certainly never has!"said Makoto.

"We'll go to Jupiter at once!"said Minako.

"In the time it gets for everyone to get here, we'll already have found them."Makoto told her.

"I'm not about to sit here doing nothing."Kunzite stood up. "And you're forgetting, not only is one of the girls my own daughter and heiress, but one of the others is also the Empress's granddaughter. Not only the Empress's granddaughter, but Prince Endymion, my master's daughter. I have just as a great duty to her, as I do to him."

"Your Royal Highness."someone came into the viewing room.

"Everyone was told not to come unless they were called."said Makoto. "This had better be a matter of great importance."

"It is. Her Grace of Juno and the others have been found."

* * *

"This was all her fault."Vesta pointed at Pallas. "We could have been lost in there forever!"

"And you only got us even more lost."Pallas protested. "You chose most of the paths, remember?"

Their parents viewed them, except for Makoto and Nephrite, who were sitting in the same room with them.

"Never mind whose fault it was."said Rei.

"I am just glad we are out of there."said Small Lady, as she sat down.

"I'm still never listening to her again, Mama."Vesta said to Rei.

"I left my shoes in the maze!"Ceres remembered. "I took them off when I climbed on Reijena's shoulders and climbed onto the wall!"

She looked towards the window. Dare she go back and look for her shoes? Immediately she discarded that idea. Nothing could persuade her to go there again.

"You're worried about your _shoes_?"cried Vesta.

"I climbed up on the hedge so I could see if I saw the way out. The hedge wasn't just a hedge. The plants were climbing on it, not just growing. So I walked up on the wall and led everyone else. And no one remembered to bring my shoes."

Vesta was right. They could have remained in the maze longer, and she was upset that she'd lost her shoes. But then those were a particularly favorite pair of shoes. Then, she wondered, just what would happen to them? Could they remain there for eternity and become part of the secret of the maze? Just like the fountain she'd spotted earlier? Maybe there was no particular secret to the fountain, but many. And she was actually hoping not to find more about them.

* * *

 _I based the maze a little like Rosamund's Bower. It's said Henry II kept a favorite mistress for whom he had a house built, and surrounded it with a maze, which only he knew, so his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine never found out. Supposedly, his wife, attached a piece of thread to the spur on his boot and followed it, and that was how she found out. There are many stories about 'Fair Rosamund', but the one where Eleanor follows Henry's path with a thread is my favorite._

 _As for the maze in the story, the girls may get their courage up and actually find the mystery of the maze one day. Or perhaps Makoto did with the other senshi._


	13. Chapter 13

Part III

Mars

"It's roasting in here!"complained Ceres, as she fanned herself with her fan.

They were now at the Palace of Vesta on Mars.

"Can someone put the fire out?"asked Pallas.

"No. The fires should burn as often as possible."Vesta told them.

The fact that the hearths were so big didn't help, either. That meant that the fireplaces were also large, and in just about every one of them burned a fire, despite the fact that it was day and it wasn't winter.

"This is my Vestalis Maxima!"Vesta told them, introducing them to one of the older women.

She introduced them. The Vestalis Maxima was dressed just the other girls who had accompanied Vesta.

"Why didn't she come with you?"asked Pallas.

"The Vestalis Maxima's place is here, at the Palace of Vesta to see that the Fire of Vesta never goes out. Besides, the 10 vestal virgins that accompanied me are students, just like myself."

As the different ladies brought them tea, sewing, embroidery, or books Ceres noted that the others were also dressed just like all of Vesta's ladies. Her own ladies never wore any sort of uniform, except that they dressed according to their rank. Vesta's all wore the exact same uniform, down to the very last detail. She thought that was just the traveling party, wearing the Vestian livery, but apparently, it was everyone.

"How do you tell everyone apart?"asked Small Lady. "And would you _please_ have the fire put out, and open some windows?"

Vesta nodded to the woman she called Vestalis Maxima to have the fires put out. Everyone was relieved when the fire was out, even though even with the fire out, where they sat around the hearth, it was still warm.

"Thank you."said Pallas.

"Um, Kagutsuchi, why is everyone dressed the same?"asked Ceres. "Does everyone here wear your livery all the time?"

"No. Only the Vestal Virgins wear that particular attire. The rest of my household doesn't. They're also the only ones who wear that particular hairstyle."

Vesta's attendants all looked alike, that Ceres had never bothered to notice them. Now she saw that they all wore the same elaborate hairstyle, with red and white ribbons braided into their braids.

"It must everyone hours just to have their hair dressed!"said Juno. "Have you ever worn it?"

"Yes. Whenever new vestals are selected. When one's term of service is over, and she wishes to retire, or when one dies. Or when the duchess marries or ascends the throne. We don't marry, though. Only Princesses of Mars do. While being Duchess of Vesta, one doesn't."

"What if the princess lives a long time?"asked Juno.

"The better for one."answered Vesta. "It does feel good to be home. We shall do everything we can to make everyone feel at home, as well. We value hospitality _very_ much."

"You can start by asking everyone to put something different on! So people can tell them apart!"said Small Lady.

"Um."

This seemed to put Vesta in a bit of a dilemma, Ceres thought. Not just Vesta, but the other women themselves. She even doubted that they had anything different to wear.

"Maybe they can wear brooches, or earrings, or something so we can tell them apart."Ceres suggested as a compromise.

This seemed to satisfy Small Lady, and get Vesta off the hook. The relief around the room was palpable.

"Thank you."Vesta whispered to Ceres. "It really would have been so upsetting for everyone to have to change their attire. Although, of course, if Her Imperial Highness wishes for it, I would immediately see to it that other garments would be found for my vestals."she added quickly.

* * *

They entered the Circular Temple, just connected to the ducal rooms. Within the Temple burned a great fire. All five of them wore white and the same elaborate hairstyles the Vestal Virgins did. Ceres was surprised at how deftly the Vestals managed to braid their hair. Certainly her own hairdresser, or Launcekrona would have been able to braid her hair so deftly. Not even Minako's hairdresser, even.

"The Fire of Vesta."Vesta explained to them. "It's a sacred flame, which never burns out. It burns brightest when I'm here. It is the Vestal Virgins who attend to it."

Ceres looked at the flame.

"Can you see anything in the fire?"she asked, eagerly.

"Yes. I mean, I can't see anything right now, but yes, we do use it for pyromancy. Some of the Vestals are teachers. They school me in reading the flames. Only Mama reads them better than the Vestalis Maxima. I can read them for you after the ceremony, if you wish."

Standing in semicircle on the opposite side of them was a line of girls. On their side, were Vesta's Vestal Virgins.

"We are here to free those who have fulfilled their years of service., and choose the new inductees in their place."said Vesta. "Some can remain for another thirty years if they wish, of course."

First, a number of Vestals walked up to Vesta, who stood at Small Lady's right. Each one curtseyed before her, while two others, who stood just behind Vesta and the others, stepped up to undo her braids, and comb out her hair. Her hair out of its braids, she turned to the Vestalis Maxima, who then handed her a bag of gold.

"She'll be pensioned off with a handsome pension."Vesta told them. "Much more. But we can't have them all here, can we?"

Once several of the now former Virgins had their braids undone and their hair brushed down.

"Now they can marry if they wish to do so. They also choose their own husbands. No one arranges marriages for them if they don't wish for them to. They are also given a permanent place at court."

Ceres smiled. So they are not arranged marriages? Martians do marry for love, as well as we do, she thought.

"Marriage to a former Vestal is a _great_ honor."Vesta smiled. "It's thought to bring good luck, and promises a happy marriage. And since the former Vestal receives a grand pension for life, also a pension. The former Vestal will also be given away by my father, Prince Consort of Mars. He comes whenever one of my former Vestals is to be married, to give her away. If the Princess of Mars is not married, she is given away by the highest male courtier. Usually a brother or son. And even if she doesn't marry, the former Vestal is promised a life completely free from any male domination."

Afterwards, the group of girls on the other side of them went around the fire and stepped up, each accompanied by her parents. The new inductees, thought Ceres. Vesta told them that the new inductees were chosen by casting lots.

One by one the ones chosen stepped up. When they did, they kneeled before Vesta while the Vestalis Maxima read out their duties during their terms of service. To serve the Duchess of Vesta for thirty years, and make a vow of chastity for the thirty years.

They would live a life of complete chastity for the next thirty years, serving their duchess. Out of all of the staff, they would be the only ones allowed to serve her personally, light her fires, upon becoming teachers, see to her education, especially divination. They must be of incorruptible character. If they lost their virginity during these thirty years, they would be buried alive in the Evil Field. Along with the terms of service were also read the privileges of becoming a Vestal. Apart from having the honor of servicing their duchess, they were also allotted luxurious pensions, luxurious lodgings surpassed only by those of Vesta herself.

The first ten years they would spend as students, which were the ones who had accompanied Vesta. The next ten they would serve as part of Vesta's inner circle, and the last ten they would serve as teachers, both to Vesta, and to new inductees, especially seeing to Vesta's education.

* * *

"Has the fire ever gone out?"asked Juno.

"It's said that yes. To one Vestal. When the then Duchess of Vesta threw her garment upon the embers, it was rekindled."

"It doesn't seem like such a bad life."said Juno, after the ceremony. "Just the life of a courtier."

"A very _honored_ courtier. They earn a place at court for life. And their lodgings are paid from my purse when they leave."

"Do they get to go to balls or parties?"asked Ceres.

"No. They must be chaste and incorruptible."Vesta explained.

"They're not to be courted?"

Vesta shook her head.

"Oh, no! There was one who was supposedly courted. No one knows if she actually was. But it gave rise to rumours, and she was convicted of criminal intimacy. I have heard of others who have been accused of violations of their vows! Not only them, of course, but also those who committed those crimes with them. They lose their heads, as well as, um, but Vestal blood must never be spilled, so they are buried alive in the Evil Field instead. And if anyone were to spill Vestal blood in any way, even as an accident, they face torture."


	14. Chapter 14

"They sound like stories told to frighten children."said Pallas, shaking her head. "Be good or you might end up in the Evil Field, or something."

"Stories to frighten children!"exclaimed Vesta. "Good Galaxy, no! They're _true_!"she grabbed Small Lady, who was closest to her, by the shoulders and shook her. "True! Your Imperial Highness knows it! They are true! They truly are!"

Ceres had never seen Vesta so worked up. She went to pull Small Lady from her.

"Obviously, it seems they just might be."she said, as Small Lady brushed out her skirt.

" _Might_!"

"It's not really logical to bury someone alive."said Pallas.

Ceres imagined being locked in a little coffin while hearing outside, someone putting dirt on top of the coffin. She shuddered.

"They would die of lack of oxygen."Pallas explained. "Not technically being buried alive. Besides, I just can't imagine being buried alive."

Vesta had an expression between terror and fury.

"I don't know how you can doubt it!"

Pallas was obviously enjoying debating this with Vesta, who looked terribly upset. Ceres went to the window.

"The Evil Field or whatever it is must be seen from here or somewhere, mustn't it?"

"Not from the ducal apartments, no!"exclaimed Vesta.

"It's probably a field like any other."dismissed Pallas.

"I have never even gone near the Evil Field. No one in their right minds would."said Vesta.

"The ones who bury these women?"asked Pallas. "Just who would be assigned to such a task? You see? Those would just be stories told to warn the Vestals to keep their vows."

There was a collective sigh from Small Lady, Ceres and Juno.

"You're right. There's no way anyone would bury people."said Small Lady.

"Thank goodness! I was beginning to think…but perhaps ignorance is bliss."said Juno.

"Ignorance is never bliss!"insisted Pallas. "It's not possible to die buried alive. It's not possible to bury people alive. Then they never were buried alive."

"You're interested in proving whether or not they bury people alive?"asked Ceres.

"I'll take it at face value!"volunteered Juno.

Pallas glared at her.

"Why would anyone wish to bring such a thing upon themselves? You yourself said that they are very honored courtiers. Why would anyone give such honors and a contented life up so they can be buried alive? You said they are buried alive if they break their chastity vows."

"Very honored perhaps, but it sounds like you have to be very careful of your reputation. And it sounds dull. It seems more the life of a housemaid to me."said Ceres.

"You must always be careful of your reputation. Whether to are a Vestal, or not. And of course, it would be that of a housemaid, because what better thing than looking after the home? Vestals are different from other courtiers in that they are under my protection, and they serve me. No one must ever be able to say a bad word about them."

"If they did?"asked Ceres.

Vesta looked furious.

"I would go to all means to find the offender."

"And if there really was no offender?"

Vesta's eyes flashed.

"He would be found and sentenced, for having tempted her. For her, it would be straight to the Evil Field, for having allowed herself to be tempted! One must not present oneself as easy prey for men. They are weak, but we are strong."

"I mean if there really was no offender, in that they fell in love."said Ceres. "Or they want to marry."

"Given that they are part of my court, I would have to grant permission for them to marry. For a Vestal, I never could. That is part of their vows. She would have to fulfill her years of service first. Just like I can't marry until I become princess, they can't marry until they fulfill their years of service."

"That's true! Duchesses of Vesta don't marry, do they?"Ceres remembered.

"Of course not. Only Princesses of Mars. You see? Just like a Vestal. You could kind of see it as when I ascend to the throne, I have fulfilled my years of service. I could not go back to being Duchess of Vesta, though, like they can remain Vestals if they wish."

"Hmm."

Ceres wondered what she would do then. It would be up to her, she remembered, to negotiate the terms of the marriage treaty when Vesta became Princess of Mars and did marry, just as her mother had negotiated the terms for the marriage of Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion, as well as the other senshi. She remembered she hadn't even done so for any of the girls in her household, as Juno had. Her own would be done by the Empress, or by her own ambassador.

"Has any Duchess of Vesta ever been buried in the Evil Field?"she asked.

The others' attention suddenly perked. Vesta's eyes grew wide.

"Of course not!"she said firmly.

"No?"

That wouldn't be something they would say, would it?she wondered to herself. She said so aloud.

"Duchesses would be buried in tombs, just like any other member of the Martian Royal House."Pallas reminded her.

"If she did marry? Or took a lover? Duchesses of Vesta can't marry, but that doesn't mean they can't fall in love."Ceres pointed out.

After all, it was marriage that was important to Jovians, not exactly love itself. Just because one couldn't marry, didn't mean one couldn't love, Ceres reasoned to herself.

"If a duchess did that sort of thing, I don't know. Lose her title? Be barred from the succession? That would include, of course, being a senshi. It's never been done. I can't imagine a member of the royal house being sentenced to death."Vesta frowned. "If they were barred from the succession, the succession would pass to another branch of the family. But maybe it would only be her who would be barred, her issue, wait, she would have no issue…oh, now you've confusing me! I don't know! Like I said, it's never been done."

"Not even as a tale?"asked Juno.

"No. All Martian royalty are buried at Phobos-Deimos, not here. I don't know if anyone's ever kept track of anyone buried in the Evil Field, but like I said, no Duchess of Vesta would ever be sent to be buried in the Evil Field."

"If they did, it sounds as if it were something like the story about the Princesses in the Crystal Tower!"said Small Lady, and she shivered.

"It's impossible for such a thing to happen, Highness."Vesta assured Small Lady. "One is hardly ever alone. There are always Vestals assigned chaperones."she gestured around the room. "Usually the ones that are still students serve as chaperones."

Ceres noted a bit of exasperation in Vesta's voice.

"You'd have to have an accomplice! One of the Vestals! She could chaperone you to see your paramour! Oh, how exciting! How romantic!"exclaimed Ceres.

Vesta made a gesture as if to dismiss Ceres's comment.

"You think so? It would seem so pointless to me."

"Are tombs listed in the Evil Field?"asked Juno. "You said no one bothered to keep track of those buried there. Maybe there really is one of your ancestresses buried there! All we'd have to do is find the tomb!"

"Or maybe she was forgiven!"said Ceres. "And never made it to the Evil Field in the first place!"

Vesta shook her head.

"I can't see that happening."

Ceres stood up.

"Now we have to go find that tomb and see if there really is someone royal buried there!"

"Galaxy, no!"exclaimed Vesta. "Never! You will go! I will not!"

"I thought you weren't afraid of ghosts."said Juno.

"Not _ghosts_."

"The dead?"

"No. It is just that it is a terrible place. No one wants to end up there."

"We won't end up there. We may leave."Ceres looked up at the ladies in the room, including the Vestals. "Everyone will leave us, summon only the Vestalis Maxima. She's bound to know the way."

She looked at the women, as if daring someone to contradict her, which no one did. They left, the Vestals casting fearful looks at Vesta.

"You're crazy!"she said to Ceres.

"The Vestalis Maxima should know the way."she told them. "We'll ask her to take us, and we'll look."

A little while later, the Vestalis Maxima entered the room.

"We want to visit the Evil Field."Ceres told her.

"The what, Your Grace?"asked the Vestalis Maxima.

"We want to see it. The tombs there, too."

"Let's wait until tomorrow."said Juno. "I don't want to be stuck there in the dark."

"Tomorrow, then. Tomorrow you will take us to see the Evil Field."Ceres told the Vestalis Maxima.


	15. Chapter 15

The Vestalis Maxima turned to Vesta.

"Your Grace?"she said.

She sounded shocked. She looked shocked, as well, thought Ceres.

Vesta nodded.

"Yes."she said. "The Evil Field. Their Graces of Ceres, Pallas and Juno wish to see the Evil Field."

The Vestalis Maxima looked at each of the girls.

"The Evil Field?"she asked, as if she had not heard well. "Very-very well, Your Grace."

The woman looked unsteady on her feet.

The next day, the Vestalis Maxima walked them to a wing of the palace they hadn't been to before.

* * *

"I've never been here."said Vesta.

"There are many parts of my palace I haven't been to, either."said Ceres confidently. "It's so big, you could never see all of it."

Juno, Small Lady and Pallas agreed. The three of them looked completely confident, the opposite of Vesta and the Vestalis Maxima. They were led outside to a courtyard which was locked with a gate. Ceres noted that there was absolutely no one around. All that was heard was the sound of crows crowing overhead. The gate looked rusted, and the whole courtyard looked unkempt.

"Isn't there anyone here to guard the gate, to upkeep the courtyard?"asked Juno.

"No one would dare come near this gate, Your Grace."said the Vestalis Maxima.

Her hands shook as she shook out her keys. She turned to look at the girls, hoping that they would change their minds and suggest they go back. None of them did, though. Finally, she drew a breath, inserted her key into the lock and opened the gate.

"The gate is only ever opened when someone is led into the Evil Field."

Ceres had expected to see tombstones. There wasn't a single tombstone in sight. Maybe they hadn't been buried alive, after all. Or maybe those who were were removed afterwards. Or maybe there was no one buried here at all, and Pallas was right, and it was all a story.

"Are they buried away from the gate?"asked Juno.

One could hardly distinguish the path, since it was so overgrown.

"Is it weeded when someone is led here?"asked Ceres.

Neither the Vestalis Maxima or Vesta answered, but stayed where they were. Obviously neither was going to go further.

"No one has stepped inside of this gate for 2,000 years, Your Grace."the Vestalis Maxima told them.

"That means everyone has behaved themselves, doesn't it?"asked Ceres brightly.

Neither the Vestalis Maxima or Vesta seemed to find any humor in Ceres's comment. Up ahead, Ceres could see a small building. The path seemed to lead towards it.

"What is in there? Is it where people await their sentence?"asked Pallas. "It certainly looks grim enough."

"That-that is where they _receive_ their sentence, Your Grace."the Vestalis Maxima told her.

"What do you mean?"

Neither Vesta nor the Vestalis Maxima seemed to want to answer. They were both shaking in their shoes, with Vesta pulling at the Vestalis Maxima's sleeve, like a child tugging at its mother's skirt. Disregarding them, she and Juno walked towards the building.

"I'm almost wishing we _had_ gotten lost in that maze."said Vesta. "I was afraid of getting lost in there, and of what we might find in the middle. This looks so…scary, though. I think I know why they're so terrified of it. Now the maze doesn't seem so scary."

Ceres approached the building and opened the door. There were no windows and it was completely dark inside. Oddly, there was a small torch with a fire burning on it. She took it and walked in. Juno, Pallas and Small Lady followed. Reluctantly, Vesta and the Vestalis Maxima followed. There was a spiral staircase which led them further underground until at the end, they arrived at a corridor. It looked very long, and on each side there were doors. Ceres put her ear to one. She could hear running water coming from inside. The Vestalis Maxima grabbed her braids and pulled her away from the door.

" _Never_ go near those doors, Your Grace!"she exclaimed, her voice echoing. " _No one_ who has entered has emerged! They are not meant to emerge! When a woman crosses any of these thresholds, it is sealed forever, never to be opened again!"

"Oh! So they are not really buried alive!"whispered Pallas. "They are just put into these rooms, and left there? The rooms are underground. That makes more sense!"

"That's even worse!"exclaimed Vesta.

"Don't yell. It echoes."said Small Lady, wincing at the loud echoes.

"I can hear water at the other end."said Ceres.

"The Phlegethon."said Vesta. "The only way out once the door closes."

Seeing the blank look on the others' faces, other than Ceres, she continued.

"The-the river of flames."she continued.

"That means they must go to the Tartarus, too."said Ceres, drily.

"Oh, yes!"

Love was considered such a crime, that those who did love received such a terrible sentence?thought Ceres.

"Surely there are Amaelia, Marcia, and Lucina?"Vesta pointed further down the corridor and looked towards the Vestalis Maxima, holding her hand tighter.

The Vestalis Maxima nodded.

"Surely, Your Grace."

"Amaelia, Marcia and Lucina?"asked Small Lady.

"They were three accused of repudiating their vows of chastity."Vesta told them.

She looked toward the corridor.

"Amaelia led Marcia and Lucina to it. She repudiated her own vows and led them to follow her example. Amaelia and Lucina repudiated their vows several times. Lucina only once. But Amaelia was very terrible! Not only did she repudiate her own vows and led Marcia and Lucina to her example, but she also allowed the Fire of Vesta to burn out! She was a very terrible woman!"

Ceres remembered Vesta mentioning something about the fire going out.

"She refused to attend ceremonies, as well as repudiating her vows, and left the fire unattended! It was rekindles when Duchess Gabija threw her garments over the dying embers."

"Few have been brought here."the Vestalis Maxima told them. "Few have been accused of repudiating vows. And it is only the guilty ones who are brought here."

"What if they're _not_ guilty?"asked Small Lady.

"Tuccia was another whose chastity was also questioned."Vesta continued. "She asked her duchess to allow her to prove her innocence. The duchess had always doubted the accusations against Tuccia. She asked Tuccia to go to the Suess. The duchess told her she would find water there. She must collect the water in a zaru, and bring it back to the duchess. If the water did not drain out, it meant she was innocent. Tuccia made it all the way back to the temple with the water still in the zaru, proving her innocence. I suppose once she completed her years of service, Tuccia must have married. I don't know if she renewed her vows. Amaelia, Marica and Lucina were guilty, of course, and met their deaths here."

"At least there was someone who didn't end up here!"exclaimed Juno.

"Few have. Only the guilty. And few have repudiated their vows."the Vestalis Maxima told her.

"Does it feel good to be out of there!"said Juno, when they were back at the palace.

"And remind me never to take any of your advice again."said Vesta, glaring at Pallas.

"I honestly thought it wasn't true."said Pallas.

"Wasn't true, my foot! If I'm allowed to read the fire for you, I hope it says something terrible!"said Vesta, shivering, as she remembered seeing the underground corridor.

"We don't bury people alive on Mercury."Pallas told her. "So I can't be buried alive. And I'm not a Vestal."

"It served a good purpose, though. I'll never be afraid of the maze again!"said Juno. "I prefer it to that horrible place here."

"I like the story you said about Tuccia, though."said Small Lady. "She had a happy ending."

"She did deserve it, Imperial Highness."smiled Vesta. "But it shows just how quickly one's reputation can be doubted or shattered. And one can't always depend on something like what happened to Tuccia to happen. One must be extremely careful of one's reputation."

 _A couple of the stories Vesta was telling them about the Vestals were true. At least it's said._


	16. Chapter 16

"Vesta told us how they bury them alive here."Ceres told Minako when they viewed later.

"Ah, the Vestals, you mean."said Minako. "The Martians are an unusual people in some ways. Although I've met weirder people. Some you can't imagine how much."

"We saw where they bury them."

"You went to the Evil Field?"

Ceres nodded.

"Have you met any of the Vestals?"Ceres asked her.

"At least two. Phobos and Deimos. They're twins. Most people can't, but I could always tell them apart easily."

Ceres remembered the ones who looked the same.

"They seem to lead such…not happy life."said Ceres uncertainly. "And it's got to be awfully dull. Not like other courtiers."

"Like I said, they are unusual people in those ways. They value different things in a marriage. Like the Jovians. Part of what makes marriage to a former Vestal in Martian society is the fact that she led such a chaste life. I was at Deimos's wedding. It was a grand occasion. Only a royal wedding could have surpassed it. She was given away by Jadeite. I think because of her friendship with Deimos and her sister, she didn't mind her wedding much."

"Why would the Princess of Mars not like weddings? Is it because a former Vestal's wedding is paid for out of the royal exchequer?"

"No, not the exchequer, in this case, but her own pocket."Minako told her. "I think it was because she doesn't especially like seeing anyone at Jadeite's arm. You know Martians feel so passionately about things. And people. Even jealousy."

"They don't seem very passionate to me. More like a bit dull. Kagutsuchi says she's not even allowed to be courted until she becomes Princess of Mars. Or her ladies."

"Not all of her ladies."Minako reminded her. "Only her Vestals, but that's because they took a vow. It's not for life. Only for thirty years, and the rewards are very great. Only royalty lives better than any of them. For Kagutsuchi, I wouldn't be too sure. Courting would be one thing. One doesn't have to court. Or to court openly. I was courted secretly before."

"What?"

This took Ceres by surprise. Minako laughed.

"It was as a game we played. We would only pretend it was a secret. It was an open secret. He would send me notes and flowers and chocolates as if they were from a secret admirer, and we would use a code. Flowers. One of my ladies was Jovian, so she would decipher the language of flowers for me. So he would send me lots of flowers. Fruits, too. I would leave my window open, and he would climb in. He would hide in the closet or behind the tapestries."

Ceres imagined Kunzite climbing towards the balconies of Magellan Castle.

"Did Papa do so?"

"No. I don't think he would have agreed to such a thing. Perhaps it would have been a little too…creative or imaginative for him? It was the Baron of Hanakotoba. I gave him the title precisely for the flowers."

Ceres remembered seeing him among Kunzite's gentlemen. Like all of her mother's former lovers, he had been given a title, and now served the consort, a position which was considered an honor. Like a Vestal, she thought suddenly. Just like them, the favorites were given a position at court, and marrying them was considered good luck. She said so.

"I never thought of them like that."said Minako. "My favorites were, are, courtiers, and they certainly don't take vows of chastity. But as a farewell, the baron sent me a bouquet of sweet peas and gardenias. That was when my betrothal to your father was announced. And you'll be surprised, that you can hear of something like that at the court of Mars. It was me, Phobos and Deimos who plotted to help Jadeite do precisely that. Don't think Rei would have thought of it."

"To send messages by flowers?"

"No, that would not have worked, but to have him enter her rooms by means other than the door. She wasn't too happy. At least not outwardly, but really she was. She just didn't want to admit it. Which is why we had to do what we did. We had also locked the door from the outside. She was determined to find out who was behind it, but thank goodness she never did. I think she would have roasted the three of us alive."

"She could find out now!"Ceres pointed out.

"You won't run and tell her, will you?"

"I never thought that was possible. Not here. Not from Kagutsuchi. Do you think she knows?"

"I'm not sure. Probably not. Rei sometimes just doesn't want people to know what she is thinking, and she can be so stubborn. She was furious to have found him in her rooms. And I think maybe perhaps her former Vestals might have been desperate. They probably wanted to marry and be given away by the prince consort himself, instead of Rei's cousin. I know Deimos confessed so to me. That was why she was so eager to approach me. She told me her mistress just sometimes didn't know what was good for her. I could tell, too, though. I knew from the beginning, those two were meant for one another, whatever Rei might say to the contrary. I would not have given my permission for her to marry _anyone_ else. But mind you, we went through so much trouble to arrange just one small meeting and we never even got a thank you for it."

Ceres thought of the women she saw every day since she had arrived at Mars. She could not imagine any of them doing anything like what her mother claimed two of the Princess of Mars's former Vestals did.

"Like I said, they seemed dull. But,"she admitted. "that was romantic, that he surprised her like that. It's like a secret paramour."

"Very secret. Secret from herself, as well. Rei practically kept it a secret from herself, too. She eventually had to admit it, though. And see that she eventually did."

"Why would she try to keep it secret from herself? Was he in love with someone else? Was she still Duchess of Vesta? Kagutsuchi said she can't marry."Ceres asked.

Minako shook her head.

"No. Rei was already Princess of Mars when she met Jadeite. Otherwise, he would not have been allowed to court her at all. So she was already Princess of Mars, except she didn't want people, especially him to guess what she was thinking. She was secretly pleased when he began to court her, but pretended to disdain him."

"If she was pleased, and they were in love, why wouldn't she just say in the first place?"

To Ceres, raised in a court where hardly anyone kept their emotions to themselves, this seemed very odd. She herself hardly bothered to keep her emotions in check. To the girls and ladies at her court, it seemed natural that they should express themselves. One would be thought of odd if one did not. Everyone would be afraid of them.

Keeping her emotions hidden was something particularly difficult she had to learn. It wasn't good politics or diplomacy, her parents said. Expressing her dislike certainly did her no good at Small Lady's court. It had only served to split everyone into two factions. She had had the upper hand, given her position and rank, and the fact that she found favor with Small Lady. But all that could have changed in an instant, if Small Lady had decided to favor Kayla instead.

"She claimed that she only married him because she saw such a thing in the fire when she was meditating. So determined was she to not allow people to guess for a minute what she was really feeling. It's too bad the flames did not tell her to be a bit more tolerant. The fact that he had kept mistresses, was something she did not take to well. I think I would have had the opposite. I would _not_ have wanted a boy as a bridegroom."said Minako.

"The Princess of Mars did?"Ceres asked at the foreign custom. "That he kept mistresses before his marriage was only logical. She was upset that he did?"

"That was just my reaction when I found out what was bothering her. I was just as surprised when I saw how upsetting she found it. Perhaps the fact that the Rei thinks so little of men, she does not know much about them. Obviously they keep lovers before marrying. Just as we do."

"Does he keep them still?"Ceres asked suddenly.

If he still did, that would be terrible for the Princess of Mars.

"No. Jadeite loves Rei. Just the fact that he was so patient, but then he _is_ the Knight of Patience. He knew she would eventually just have to accept her feelings. She eventually agreed that he does not have a roving eye, and he doesn't stray. I believe, however, that Rei's father did. That is one reason Rei does not think so highly of men."

First women terrified of remaining spinsters. Not because they knew no love, but sometimes simply because they wanted to be married. Probably to some it didn't matter to whom. Bad luck would descend on them if they remained unmarried. Despite their superstitious nature, the Jovians made more sense than Martians.

Now women who spent their lives serving their duchess by promising not to marry, a royal princess _forbidden_ to marry due precisely to their title, people who refused to express their love, and now people who kept lovers _after_ they married? Just what would come next?

"Does it matter who one marries to Martians?"asked Ceres.

"You know the Empress isn't too fond of arranged marriages, if that's what you're referring to. Here people only marry for love. On Jupiter, people sometimes do betroth their children, on Mars, I don't think so."

"If the Princess of Mars and Lord Jadeite had met when she was still Duchess of Vesta? Or if any Duchess of Vesta fell in love?"

"They would be in a difficult position. They could take a risk, and Rei stripped on her inheritance, or be secret paramours."

"I'm glad I'm not Martian. Or Jovian either. What an odd, difficult, and complicated life."said Ceres to her mother. "I'm glad I'm Venusian, instead. It's much easier and logical. And better. Kagutsuchi may not want to, but I do want to go balls and parties, and be courted and have secret admirers when I come of age, not to have to wait until I am Princess."

Minako spread her hands.

"Some things you just have to accept. And remember you have to negotiate marriage treaties for them, too. Small Lady's as well, so you must take their mores and values in these things as well as in others. If Kagutsuchi ever does face a situation like the one you asked, remember you can't grant her permission to marry. At all. Not while her mother is alive."

"Would you have granted the Princess of Mars to marry while she was still duchess?"

"Thank the galaxy I never found myself in that position, because who knows? I might have. Then again, I might not have, but sometimes you can't allow your heart to rule your head. Especially when it comes to the customs of other planets. One of your duties to Kagutsuchi is to see that her reputation remain untarnished. Her planet's customs are different from ours, however odd they might be."Minako reminded her.

" _Very_ odd."


	17. Chapter 17

Ceres looked at the women who always followed Vesta. She thought how dull it must be to be always waiting only on their duchess. They never even left the palace. Only a privileged few were allowed to accompany Vesta wherever she went. All they really had to look forward to was to take great care to keep out of the Evil Field. She shuddered, remembering their own visit there. No wonder no one wanted to end up there.

Then she turned to Vesta. Did it mean that she waited for her own chance to ascend to her mother's throne? Or any of her predecessors? Her mother had said that the Princess of Mars was courted after she became Princess of Mars. That she was grateful that Lord Jadeite courted her when she was Princess of Mars. What if she found herself when Vesta fell in love while her mother was still alive? She could not have kept Vesta from the man she had fallen in love with apart, could she?

* * *

"We get to see an archery tournament! I've never seen one before."exclaimed Juno. "A Martian archery tournament."she sighed."Now why couldn't _I_ have learned mounted archery?"she asked.

"Because I'm better at archery than you."said Vesta. "I can do mounted archery, too."

Juno narrowed her eyes. Archery was one martial art that she had not been taught and received as extended training as in others.

"I'll still bet you can't do any kenjutsu."said Juno.

"Neither can you."answered Vesta.

"Neither can I, for that matter."said Ceres.

"I've never seen either of my parents arch."said Juno.

"My Lady Mother is a brilliant archer."said Vesta.

"Those things aren't exactly of too much use."said Pallas. "It's best to use your head. And to be more…cultured."

The other three turned to her.

"Not much use!"exclaimed Vesta and Juno.

Ceres shrugged. Minako would say something similar, she thought. Minako wasn't that much of an outdoors person. Ceres had been taught to ride, but only as a sport, it wasn't really part of her training. She knew Jovians took it seriously. It seemed that Martians were outdoor people as well.

"I thought only Jovians did martial arts."said Small Lady who seemed to be paying little attention to the argument that went on between the others, voiced just what Ceres thought.

"Not archery."Vesta told her. "Everyone knows we are. We are much better in the ways of the horse and the arrow."

Juno glared at her.

"Will you be competing?"Small Lady asked her.

"Would Your Imperial Highness like to see me compete?"

"That would be very good."said Small Lady.

"Who will carry your colors?"asked Pallas.

"It's an archery competition, not a joust."Juno pointed out, rolling her eyes.

"Oh."

"Anyway, my colors are black and lavender."Vesta told them. "But it's true. In an archery competition, no one wears anyone's colors like in a joust."

"And let me guess,"Ceres pointed and shook her fan at Juno. "you are a much better jouster?"

"I don't joust."Juno answered somewhat sullenly.

"Come to think of it,"Ceres frowned, thinking, tapping her chin with her fan. "I've never even seen a joust myself."

"The festivities at Mama and Papa's wedding included those tournaments. Both archery and jousts. I think jousting very popular on Earth."said Small Lady.

"Archery tournaments are not for weddings, Highness."Vesta told her. "No weddings during the festivities to the duchess here in my duchy, either. For example, weddings are not held during Vestalia."

"Then what do you for weddings if there are no festivities?"asked Ceres.

"Oh, there are festivities for royal and vestal weddings, and mostly to impress ambassadors and such. But during time like the Vestalia, we meditate before the flames."

"Can you tell us our fortunes in the fire?"asked Small Lady.

Ceres remembered what Minako said about the Princess of Mars's having seen in the flames who was to be her betrothed.

"Yes. We have to see if the flames say who we're meant to marry!"

"The fire can say that?"asked Pallas, her eyes wide.

"It takes years to become competent to interpret what the flames say."Vesta told her. "But the flames can show just about anything."

"Including the love of your life!"said Ceres.

"Can they?"asked Vesta rather drily.

"Haven't people seen who they love in the fire before?"

"Per-haps."said Vesta slowly. "Maybe. They might. I suppose they could."

Ceres could tell that Vesta was particularly pleased with what she was saying. She could see Vesta's eyes sparkle and she looked very happy.

"I've heard of such. But if you do see that in the flames, it ends up in such happiness. I have seen, uh, _heard_ of that."

"Perhaps the flames know some people better than those people know themselves."

Vesta turned to Ceres.

"Better than themselves!"she said sharply.

"You said they can show anything, including who they love."

"Read my fortune, Kagutsuchi!"exclaimed Small Lady.

"It would be better for the Vestalis Maxima to do so, Highness. Like I said, it takes years to become competent, and I don't want to be wrong."

Small Lady shook her head.

"Not one of your ladies, you. I want my fortune told by a Daughter of Mars!"

"We'll need moonflowers."said Vesta. "And lotus blossoms. Or any white flowers that open in the moonlight."

Small Lady waved her fan in a gesture of dismissal.

"There are tons of those in the gardens. Aren't there?"she asked Vesta.

"We will find some. Otherwise, Mama always has casablancas. We can burn those."

* * *

They sat around the same large fire where the new girls had been accepted as Vestals. The fire burned as merrily as it had on that day. It seemed as if it grew and burned brighter as Vesta went near it.

Vesta dismissed the Vestals in the room.

"We'll have to meditate before the fire."she told them.

"I've never meditated before."said Juno.

"You'll have to clear your mind."

"Does it take long?"asked Pallas.

Small Lady held a bouquet of lotuses and moonflowers in her hands, someone had found for them. They weren't very easily attainable anywhere other than the Moon. And they had to get to the temple quickly, given that the moonflower blooms began to whither as soon as they were cut. They withered even more quickly in the dark, without the silver moonlight. The lotuses were much more hardy.

"We don't have very many moonflowers here."said Vesta nervously. "Or time."she looked at the withering blooms. "But those blooms will do."

They sat before the fire.

"The moonflowers are withering. Throw them and the lotuses in the flames, Imperial Highness."she told Small Lady.

Small Lady threw the flowers into the fire. The flames slowly consumed the flowers, as Small Lady threw them in one by one.

They sat for what seemed like to Ceres for hours. Which it probably was. Everyone was soon tired, except Vesta, who looked perfectly calm. Ceres couldn't help but think 'this is stupid' or 'how long have we been here', 'are we going to miss dinner'. She turned to see that Juno had actually fallen asleep.

Finally, Vesta spoke:

"Gold. Your Imperial Highness will marry…gold."she said.

"Er, gold?"asked Juno.

"I can see gold."

"You must mean someone with a lot of gold. A lot of riches."said Pallas.

"I already have…"

"No!"exclaimed Ceres, clapping her hands together. "Don't you see?! Gold! As in Venusian gold! Venusian royal gold! That must mean Your Imperial Highness will be wed into the Royal House of Aphrodite! You will wed to someone from my planet! If not into our royal house, at least someone from my planet! What else can gold possibly mean!"

Slowly the others nodded.

"I can see the logic."said Pallas.

"That means you are guaranteed to find happiness, Highness! You shall find happiness and love! Those really are true riches!"cried Ceres. "Could it be someone who I know? Maybe you've even already seen him?"

 _Obviously, who Vesta meant was Helios, and the gold meant the Golden Kingdom/Golden Crystal._


	18. Chapter 18

Part IV

Mercury

However rude it might seem, Ceres was actually glad to be off Mars, even if some of the Vestals did still come with Vesta. What a stuffy court, she thought of Vesta's court.

"It's a very stuffy place."she told Juno later. "I actually found it a little scary."she admitted.

She looked nervously at the Vestals in Vesta's household. Despite everything, she just couldn't hold back a shudder. Perhaps they should have listened to Vesta's Vestalis Maxima or whatever, after all, and never have visited the Evil Field.

"I don't think we should have visited that place."she said aloud.

"Mars?"asked Juno.

Ceres shook her head.

"No! That burial ground."she gestured towards the Vestals. "The one for them."

"It's not for all of them."Juno reminded her. "Just for some."

"I know, but…I don't envy them their lives at all. And especially not their deaths."

"Not all of them die buried."

"I know."

"Don't tell me you're having nightmares about it?"teased Juno.

"Absolutely not! It's simply that…they're _weird_ , it's all."Ceres told her.

"Hmm."Juno tapped her chin with her fan, looking at Vesta.

* * *

"I can show you something I'm particularly fond of!"exclaimed Pallas, as she led them to her viewing room. "You'll see! It's at Marina! It's only because I've seen it in portraits!"

They went into the viewing room. From there, they could see a pedestal. On it was a tiara.

"I've never seen anyone wearing it, of course. Only Mama could. And well, her mother, and her mother, only the Princesses of Mercury. It's one of the most amazing pieces! They say there's no other similar one in the galaxy!"

They leaned in to take a closer look. The tiara seemed to be fashioned after falls of water, which were set with diamonds and sapphires. The end of each fall supported a larger sapphire.

"It was given by Serenity III to the Princess of Mercury as a coronation gift!"exclaimed Ceres.

Pallas beamed and the others looked impressed, not just by the tiara's image in front of them, but also surprised at Ceres.

"I wasn't only taught Venusian history, you know."she told them indignitally. "I also taught planetary, imperial and galactic history, as well."

"Does this mean I should start thinking what to give everyone when you become princesses?"asked Small Lady. "If Serenity III gave such gifts, maybe it's expected from all of us."

"Oh, I love gifts, Highness!"exclaimed Ceres. "Who doesn't!"

"Not for a while yet, Imperial Highness."said Juno.

"Diamonds for the Moon, and obviously sapphires. Sapphires indicate wisdom, intelligence."said Ceres. "And water, too, with their color. What?"the others stared at her. "My home planet is very rich in metals, especially gold. We are just about the main exporters in the entire galaxy. And my father is a lord of Earth where you know the most beautiful gemstones are found, and for all we know, this very sapphire could have come from Pakistan. I was also schooled in metallurgy and minerology."

"What about alchemy?"asked Vesta.

"That's more a philosophy than an actual science."Pallas told her.

Ceres shook her head.

"We don't believe in 'making' gold. That's just a bit of nonsense. There are plenty who read it, though. And gold found in certain parts of Venus is to be worn only by royalty. Royal gold, or Venusian gold. This is silver, though, probably Lunarian silver. Now that's something more plentiful on the Moon than on Venus. Diamonds and selenium as well."

"I never would have thought there was much knowledge in that pretty little head of yours, Shinju."said Vesta. "The only thing that seems to be there is pretty dresses, jewels, balls, and parties."

"Kagutsuchi!"said Small Lady.

"It's true!"

"What better things in life than pretty dresses, jewels, balls and parties?"smiled Ceres. "But without knowledge, one can't really appreciate many of the finer things in life. Not jewels, for one."she gestured at the image of the tiara. "Especially such rare ones."

"It's a type of optical illustion."Pallas told them. "You see, when you wear it, it's supposed to give the impression that there really is water. That there is a fountain on your head."

" _Very_ Mercurian."said Juno.

Pallas giggled.

"Well, yes."she admitted. "Very Mercurian."

She gestured for the image to be turned off.

* * *

"Other Mercurian would be the water gardens!"Pallas told them.

It wasn't just the water gardens or the Waterfall tiara, either. Just about every room had a large fountain. Just like at Vesta there hearths and fires, here there fountains. Apart from the large fountain in the middle of each room, there were several around the room.

"Artemis would like it!"exclaimed Ceres. "He would like to drink from them. Come to think of it, _do_ you drink from them?"

"From these fountains?"asked Pallas.

"Yes. On Venus they put wine in the fountains. For people to just help themselves, whenever there's a special occasion. Like when my parents are on a progress. When they are in a certain castle or palace, the towns the fountains in the town there flow with wine. I always order that there be wine in the fountains everywhere in my duchy whenever Mama and Papa are there!"said Ceres. "Not the finest wines, though. That would be reserved for them, especially the barley wine!"

"There must be quite a few brawls, giving out wine like that."said Juno.

"Brawls? Not that I've ever heard of."Ceres told them.

She frowned trying to remember.

"You wouldn't."Juno told her. "But I'm sure there probably are, if you do give away free wine."

"I don't know why anyone would put wine in a fountain, but no."Pallas shook her head. "Only water in the fountains. And I've never known anyone to drink from them. You could, I suppose. The thought never crossed my mind."

Puzzled, Pallas leaned and put her hand in the water falling from the fountain into the pool underneath it.

"If you're thirsty enough I guess you could. I assure you the water is kept perfectly clean. Some of the waters from these fountains are said to have restorative or healing properties, however, as well as the water from other parts of my duchy. But let me show you the water gardens."

* * *

In the largest courtyard stood a fountain with a large owl. At its feet were many smaller owls, who appeared ready to take flight. It seemed that water sprouted from their feathers. At the walls of the courtyard stood several olive trees.

"This isn't technically one of the water gardens. It is just a courtyard. To receive guests and such. It is one of the bigger fountains, though."

Ceres agreed. The owl was definitely huge. And she was used to being dwarfed, having lived in palaces all her life. It went even higher than some of the highest rooms she'd seen, she thought.

"It's surrounded by a reflective pool, as well."Pallas pointed out. "The owl is much bigger than it actually looks, because of the distance from the edge of the pool."

"Have you ever gotten close to the owl?"asked Vesta. "And seen it up close?"

"I've swam in its pool, and gotten up close to the owl. You can only see some of its feathers. You can climb and sit on its toes. And it's so detailed you can even see the feathers."

* * *

"We have about 50 fountains."Pallas told them. "That's only in the outdoor gardens. And it doesn't include the waterfalls and stream gardens."

A lot of the fountains, Ceres noted, had owls, many of the owls having water coming from their wings, their feathers, their feet, or their beaks. Planted everywhere in the water gardens were also olive trees. Apart from the fountains, were also more natural gardens, with cliffs and huge waterfalls.

"Don't swim in these."Pallas told them. "The waterfalls are incredibly strong. The water gardens are not just for display, you know. They are also for swimming. You can swim in any of these pools or fountains. One of the ponds!"she gestured.

"I always thought ponds were supposed to be small."said Vesta.

"They're only smaller than lakes, but they can be big. This is a lily pond."

"We could have figured that out ourselves."

Pallas reached out and pulled one of the waterlilies and its pad from the water. She was careful not to pull out all of its aquatic roots. Still wet, she put it at an angle on her head, and made to tie the roots under her chin.

"That would make a lovely cartwheel hat!"exclaimed Ceres. "So small, though it looks like a half hat! You would start a new trend!"


	19. Chapter 19

"I thought we were done with lessons!"exclaimed Juno, as they entered the school room. "Or at least boring lessons! I wanted to go to beach class!"

The others stared.

"Er, beach class?"asked Vesta. "Is there even such a thing?"

"Isn't it mandatory to learn to swim on Mercury? What better place to take a test on that than at the beach?"

"Good point."agreed Ceres.

"I don't think Mercurians are ever done with lessons, though. I think the Princess of Mercury herself probably still spends time at lessons."said Vesta.

"Learning…?"Ceres spread her hands. "Learning what? I think the Princess of Mercury knows just about everything."

"You can never know too much. You never stop learning. There's always something. Mama practices her writing for one."said Pallas.

They looked up.

"The princess doesn't know how to write?"Ceres sounded incredulous.

"No! I mean yes. Yes, she does! What I mean is that Mama still practices her writing, obviously. You have to keep your handwriting neat. You can only do that by practicing."Pallas patiently explained to them in a tone that sounded like a teacher addressing a small child.

"She probably has a scribe."Juno said.

Ceres herself preferred to dictate her letters than hand write them herself. She wrote only a few.

"I can't write that much that long, anyway. My hand gets cramped. It can get pretty painful."said Vesta.

"Exactly."Pallas pointed out. "You see how important it is to stay in practice."

Juno and Ceres threw deathly glares at Vesta. Instead of getting out of it, she'd only made it worse, by giving Pallas an excuse to point out to them the importance of lessons.

"It's something we all do. At least every few days, if not every."Pallas pointed out. "In _my_ court, anyway."

Ceres thought that maybe life at Vesta's court might not be so bad or dull, if they were going to spend hours in the school room here. She knew she would be going back to her lessons once she returned home, but she was enjoying a break from them.

"What are we supposed to write? Our names or lines five hundred times?"asked Ceres.

"You could."Pallas said.

Someone handed each of them a pair of gloves.

"I only wear gloves for gardening."said Juno.

"I don't wear gloves."said Vesta.

"You'll be glad you wore them."said Pallas as she put on her own. "But you don't have to if you don't want to. It's possible your hands will get dry, though. And the stains can be difficult to get off. From your dress, as well."

Ceres noticed that some peoples' hands ink stained, and she saw the logic in wearing the gloves. She sighed, pulling them on, and picking up her quill.

"Can we draw or doodle instead?"asked Small Lady.

"Doodle?"

"Just draw. You should see some of my work! Sometimes I don't even doodle, but actually sketch. My schoolmistress says they're very pretty. She doesn't tell Mama and Grandmama so long as I learn my lessons."

Ceres, Vesta, and Juno giggled. Pallas obviously had no clue what Small Lady was talking about.

"What else would you possibly attention to during lessons?"asked Pallas.

"Look out the windows, pass notes."said Juno.

Pallas looked positively puzzled.

"But honestly, what do we write?"Ceres asked.

"I mostly write essays. On topics we are assigned. But you can choose your own."

"Do they have to be in Mercurian? My written Mercurian isn't very good."Ceres told her.

She hardly mastered any of the languages she learned in writing.

"You can write in any language you like. We also practice writing in different languages."

Ceres thought for a while. Perhaps a good topic would be her experiences since she had left Venus.

* * *

"This is rather short."the schoolmistress told Ceres, as she handed her essay to her. "The handwriting is poor and hardly legible and it is poorly written. The spelling is terrible, as well. We'll have to go over each paragraph."

Ceres fumed.

"You haven't even read it!"

"One doesn't need to read it to notice the bad penmanship and the poor spelling."

"I'm supposed to be a senshi, not a scribe!"she exclaimed.

The Mercurian paid no attention to her.

"I am glad to see Your Grace is not out of practice. Your Grace will make a very fine scribe for Her Imperial Highness."she said to Pallas.

"I hope so."smiled Small Lady. "I don't have to do all the correspondence all by myself. There's a lot of it! Sometimes it can take entire mornings. I can't wait until I have my own household and you get to be my scribe."

"I helped with the correspondence when we were on the Moon!"said Pallas. "Her Imperial Highness gets a lot of cards and gifts from the Empress's subjects!"

"Work on the speed of your writing, Your Grace. When being dictated, it's likely that whoever is dictating might do so quickly. You'll have to keep up."

Ceres, Vesta and Juno looked upset, especially Ceres. Poor skills indeed! And not even from one of her own tutors! She had half a mind to make Pallas write lines. _I will not allow my tutor to mollify me,_ or something. Five hundred times! Then again, she might not even mind. She might actually like it.

I already have a scribe, she thought. And she did just fine with her own correspondence. Besides, she preferred to communicate by either viewing, or better yet in person.

She wasn't the only one admonished by the Pallas's tutor. The others looked just as upset as she was.

* * *

"Are we supposed to learn to deliver messages, as well?"asked Vesta.

"No. The messengers do that."said Pallas. "It's a highly coveted position at court. We do learn ciphers, too."

Right now, Ceres wasn't too interested in learning ciphers.

"My scribe comes up with those, not me."she told Pallas.

"And what would she know about flowers and gardening!"exclaimed Juno. "At least certainly not more than me. She gave me barely a six!"

"My hands are for embroidering, not holding a quill for hours just to keep an old woman happy."fumed Ceres.

"That, too."said Pallas, whose embroidery was one of the finest.

"It feels cramped as if I've been sketching for hours."said Small Lady.

She didn't seem to be too bothered about it.

"You and your writing lesson have just cost Her Imperial Highness hours in sketching!"Ceres glared at Pallas.

She was starting to wonder how it was that Pallas's maternal grandfather had been a member of the Venusian royal family. Minako often said that there was hardly anything Venusian about the Princess of Mercury, except for her father.

"That's all right, Shinju. And I'm glad that Omoikane will be my scribe. I'll have my very own scribe, instead of one of Mama's!"said Small Lady.

"I won't be able to hold a fan for days."she said, crossing her arms.

She knew she was behaving childishly, and if her parents found out, she would be in for another scolding. And more lines, too.

"My assignments are usually about coming to terms peacefully. You know, peace treaties. On different ways to avoid war. See, if you analyze the situation, and you learn your opponent in that way, you are most likely to win. That's better than actually attacking or fighting."Pallas told them. "It's also why I practice playing chess. You get to know your opponent."

"Is that also something you do for recreation here?"asked Vesta. "Besides, in war, it would probably be better to just…win. To vanquish your opponent.

Ceres already knew that Pallas saw chess as recreation, given how much she enjoyed it, but they weren't expected to spend their days here playing chess and writing essays, were they?

"Sometimes we hold tournaments here! And only the most accomplished get to play against me. Or rather against Mama. See, if they can defeat me, that means they can go against her."

"And has anyone ever beaten you?"asked Juno.

"A few times. Would you like to try?"

"I'd never win."said Ceres. "You saw how terrible a player I am."

* * *

"I can play any instrument Your Imperial Highness wishes to hear myself."said Pallas, as she showed them her music room.

Ceres had never seen such a giant music room. She herself had been taught to play the piano, the virginals, the harp, and a few others, but her own music room seemed miniscule compared to Pallas's.

"You can play any instrument in here?"asked Small Lady.

"Yes. Just about. The only one I don't is the flute. Duchesses of Pallas are not allowed to play flute."

"And with good reason!"exclaimed Juno.

Looking weak, she leaned against one of the pedestals. On the pedestal on which the flute, it was decorated with owls and spiders.

"I hate spiders."she said.

"They're only decorations, but I'll show you."


	20. Chapter 20

Pallas took them to another room. In it were several spinning wheels.

"My crafts room."

"Do you make hagoromo?"asked Ceres eagerly. "I've made dozens."

"Not that I know of."said Pallas. "But just look at this."

She held out an unfinished tapestry. Everyone exclaimed at it. It looked almost as expensive as cloth of gold or silver.

"Made from my own-"

"Silk worms."said Vesta.

"No. My very own spiderwebs."

Pallas gestured around the room. Ceres had never noticed, but around the room were several spiderwebs in china cabinets.

"You mean we're surrounded by spiders?"exclaimed Small Lady.

"Ah!"

Ceres ran to Juno, who had fainted.

"You know she said she was afraid of them!"

"But I never imagined she would faint at them! She hasn't before. You see, instead of using wool, we mostly use the cobwebs. It's one of the things that makes Pallanian textiles unique."

Ceres understood why Juno had fainted now.

"You mean…some of my finest dresses have come from…?"

"Perhaps. You might have."

Pallas nodded.

"It would only be logical."she added.

"I think I'm going to start wearing more common attire. I don't want to wear a fine dress again! I can't stand it one minute more!"said Small Lady.

Small Lady turned around so quickly, that she lost her balance, stepping on the hem of her skirt, and fell on one the china cabinets containing the spiders.

"She's dying!"screamed Juno, after Ceres had used her smelling salts.

"They're not toxic!"shouted Pallas over the screaming, as she helped the others with their fans, trying to get the spiders off their mistress.

* * *

Upon hearing the commotion, several of the servants arrived. Not that it did much good in some cases. Seeing Small Lady covered in the spiders, and the broken china cabinets, some screamed, ran, or followed Juno's example and fainted.

Ceres had opted for just pulling the spiders off. Thank goodness for the writing the day before. It had left her fingers ink-stained, and so she had worn her gloves. Which were going in the trash as soon as she took them off, she thought to herself.

While pulling them off some must have squished between her fingers. She tried not to about that. She simply pulled and threw. Some landed on other people, which only caused more commotion, as people shrieked when they found even more spiders in their clothes or hair.

* * *

Finally, there were no spiders left. Or rather, they had run away from the spiders. There might still be plenty in the room. Right now, they all sat in one of the water gardens.

Looking around at the others, Ceres felt glad that out of all four of them, she was the only one who hadn't run. Juno had fainted, Vesta had had half a mind to set Small Lady and the entire room on fire, which thankfully she didn't, and Pallas was used to the spiders, she supposed. She admitted that she hadn't remained exactly calm, but still.

"I think spiders should be banned in the entire galaxy."said Juno.

"How would your fine clothes be woven, then?"Pallas pointed out.

Juno glared at her.

Minako and Kunzite greeted Ceres at the spaceport. As always with her parents, she forgot all ceremony, running to them and hugging.

"Did you enjoy your trip?"asked Minako.

"Yes."said Ceres. "But I'm _so_ glad to be home."

 _On my next story, I'll be going back to writing about their parents. I might write about quartet again in the future, however._


End file.
